On June 4, 1997, a Cessna U206F (registration N736) operated by U.s. Fish And Wildlife Service was involved in an aviation accident near Chevak, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's misjudgment of wind direction during landing, which resulted in a downwind landing with excessive ground speed and subsequent overrun. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A pilot misjudged wind direction while returning to a remote lake base camp, landing with a 15-knot tailwind and overrunning the shoreline into trees.
What happened
The pilot was operating a float-equipped aircraft on a remote lake when he decided to return to his base camp. During the approach for landing, the pilot misjudged the wind direction. This error resulted in an inadvertent downwind landing with a 15-knot tailwind component.
Due to the excessive ground speed caused by the tailwind, the pilot was unable to bring the airplane to a stop before reaching the shoreline. The aircraft continued its momentum inland for approximately 50 feet before striking small trees.
Probable cause
The pilot's misjudgment of wind direction during landing, which resulted in a downwind landing with excessive ground speed and subsequent overrun.