NTSB ANC20CA037 — 2019-12-09 · Kwigillingok, Alaska, United States

Current FAA registration · N9728M

Make / Model: CESSNA 207A
Year of manufacture: 1981 · 38 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR IO-520-F (300 hp)
Seats / Engines: 8 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19810814
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S AD8E8F

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N9728M Cessna 207 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's improper decision to depart from an ice-covered runway with a strong crosswind, which resulted in a loss of directional control, runway excursion, and impact with a ditch.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he was departing an ice-covered runway in a strong crosswind. After lining up on the runway, he added power and felt the airplane slide to the right. In an effort to correct, he applied left rudder and left brake to no avail. He reduced the engine power to idle and once again applied left rudder and left brake, but the airplane continued to slide. He subsequently pulled the mixture to idle cutoff. The airplane slid off the runway and impacted a ditch sustaining substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations. The pilot reported that he was departing from an ice-covered runway with a strong crosswind. After lining up on the runway, he added power and felt the airplane slide right. To correct, he applied left rudder and left brake to no avail. He reduced the engine power to idle and again applied left rudder and left brake, but the airplane continued to slide. He subsequently pulled the mixture to idle cutoff. The airplane slid off the runway and impacted a ditch, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface-Snow/slush/ice covered surface-Effect on operation - C
C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface-Snow/slush/ice covered surface-Decision related to condition - C
C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Wind-Crosswind-Effect on operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2019_ANC20CA037.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (runway excursion). All research papers