What happened
On July 28, 2010, a Cessna TU206G, registered JA3902, departed Niigata Airport for a scheduled ferry flight to Sapporo Airfield. The aircraft was operated by Nakanihon Air Service Co., Ltd. and was carrying the pilot in command and one passenger.
During the flight, the aircraft became overdue, prompting a search and rescue operation. On July 30, 2010, the wreckage was located in a mountainous region east of Mt. Iwabe-dake, within the Fukushima-town area of Hokkaido. The impact occurred in a densely wooded area on a ridge. The crash resulted in two fatalities, as both the pilot and the passenger died in the accident. While the aircraft was completely destroyed upon impact with the tree canopies, investigators found that no fire had broken out following the crash.
The investigation
The Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) conducted an investigation to determine the circumstances leading to the impact. Investigators examined the flight path, which involved navigating the Oshima Peninsula. The investigation reviewed meteorological data, including radar and satellite imagery, to assess visibility conditions during the flight.
Technical analysis focused on the aircraft's flight path and the pilot's decision-making process. The investigation also reviewed the company's operational procedures, specifically regarding how pilots confirm weather conditions and maintain minimum safe altitudes during Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations. The wreckage was inspected to confirm the sequence of the impact and the state of the aircraft's components at the time of the accident.