Narrative:
Aircraft aborted takeoff due to crosswind and icy conditions and veered off runway tipping over on the wing.
The pilot reported to the NTSB that, while back-taxiing for departure, on a snow-and-ice-covered runway in a strong crosswind, the airplane began to slide towards the left side of the runway. He corrected for the slide back towards the runway center line, but the airplane encountered a "violent gust of wind" and began to slide again. He applied right brake and right rudder while leaving in full right aileron, but the airplane had zero braking action. As the airplane continued to slide, he applied engine power in an attempt to increase the rudder authority and "correct the direction back towards the runway" to no avail. Subsequently, the airplane slid off the left side of the runway, the left wheel impacted a snowbank, and the airplane tipped to the left. The airplane came to rest in a nose down attitude, banked to the left at about a 40° angle, and sustained substantial damage to the left wing and aileron.
The pilot added that the weather at the accident airport, about the time of the accident, was wind from 120° at 20 knots. The pilot was back taxiing on runway 20.
Probable Cause: The pilots loss of directional control during the back-taxi for departure in strong crosswind conditions which resulted in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the snow-and-ice-covered runway.
Runway mishap
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Friday 12 March 2021 |
| Time: | 16:46 |
| Type: |  Cessna 208B Grand Caravan |
| Operator: | Grant Aviation |
| Registration: | N407GV |
| MSN: | 208B0616 |
| First flight: | 1997 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 27418 |
| Engines: | 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | Chevak Airport, AK (VAK) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Takeoff (TOF) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Chevak Airport, AK (VAK/PAVA), United States of America |
| Bethel Airport, AK (BET/PABE), United States of America |
Aircraft aborted takeoff due to crosswind and icy conditions and veered off runway tipping over on the wing.
The pilot reported to the NTSB that, while back-taxiing for departure, on a snow-and-ice-covered runway in a strong crosswind, the airplane began to slide towards the left side of the runway. He corrected for the slide back towards the runway center line, but the airplane encountered a "violent gust of wind" and began to slide again. He applied right brake and right rudder while leaving in full right aileron, but the airplane had zero braking action. As the airplane continued to slide, he applied engine power in an attempt to increase the rudder authority and "correct the direction back towards the runway" to no avail. Subsequently, the airplane slid off the left side of the runway, the left wheel impacted a snowbank, and the airplane tipped to the left. The airplane came to rest in a nose down attitude, banked to the left at about a 40° angle, and sustained substantial damage to the left wing and aileron.
The pilot added that the weather at the accident airport, about the time of the accident, was wind from 120° at 20 knots. The pilot was back taxiing on runway 20.
Probable Cause:
Probable Cause: The pilots loss of directional control during the back-taxi for departure in strong crosswind conditions which resulted in a runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the snow-and-ice-covered runway.
Accident investigation:
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Classification:
Rejected takeoffRunway mishap
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Chevak Airport, AK to Bethel Airport, AK as the crow flies is 217 km (136 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Chevak Airport, AK to Bethel Airport, AK as the crow flies is 217 km (136 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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