What happened
On June 2, 2024, at approximately 1600 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 207A, registration N9651M, was involved in an accident near Bethel, Alaska. The aircraft, operated by Grant Aviation as a Part 1s35 cargo and mail flight, was departing from Bethel Airport (BET) bound for Kwigillingok, Alaska (GVV).
The pilot was performing a short-field takeoff procedure. After taxiing, the pilot confirmed the fuel selector was on the right tank, engine cowl flaps were open, wing flaps were at 10°, and the mixture was rich. The aircraft lifted off the runway at approximately 64 knots. The pilot flew the aircraft in ground effect to reach 75 knots before pitching up to climb at a rate of 500 to 600 feet per minute.
At approximately 200 feet mean sea level, the pilot felt the aircraft sink and observed the wing flaps moving upward. As the airspeed decreased, the pilot pushed the nose down to regain speed, but the aircraft was too low to maintain flight. The aircraft subsequently landed hard on the runway, resulting in no injuries but causing substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found that power to the flap system was damaged during the impact. A visual inspection of the flap control assembly, performed before electrical power was applied, showed the control, cam, and operating switches were undamaged and in good condition. The wing flaps were found in the retracted position, which was consistent with the flap position indicator.
Because of damage to the aircraft's electrical system, investigators used an external battery to test the flap system. An operational check conducted according to the Cessna 207 series service manual showed the flaps functioned normally with no abnormalities detected.