NTSB Factual Report

On September 8, 2018, about 2353 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna U206 airplane, N8070Z, sustained substantial damage after impacting tundra and marsh-covered terrain about 1.5 miles north-northeast of the Willow Airport (UUO), Willow, Alaska. The certificated flight instructor (CFI) in the right seat, and the private pilot in the left seat, each sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, visual flight rules, local area instructional flight. Dark, night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Talkeetna Airport (TKA), Talkeetna, Alaska, about 2030.

During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the private pilot reported that the accident flight was her first night training flight since receiving her private pilot certificate on August 9, 2018. The flight was planned for stop-and-go landings at multiple airports in the area. She stated that the CFI had also provided most of her initial private pilot training.

The private pilot said that after completing one full stop landing on Runway 31 at UUO, both pilots agreed to conduct another takeoff and landing. She said that after takeoff, while maintaining runway heading and climbing the airplane to 1,000 ft mean sea level (msl), she started a right, crosswind turn into a dark area with no visible horizon. The last event that she remembered, was the CFI saying, in part: "what's wrong with your attitude indicator?" The airplane subsequently descended and collided with the ground. Both pilots egressed the fragmented wreckage through a large tear in the fuselage and could not access survival gear due to their injuries and the wreckage debris. The pilot's cell phone was located outside of the airplane and she called a family member who contacted the Alaska State Troopers.

In a separate interview with the NTSB IIC, the CFI related that when the private pilot started her right turn over the dark, unlit terrain, he felt something was wrong and noted that the horizon was no longer visible, and the sound of the wind stream was unusual. He stated that he took the control of the airplane, but it impacted terrain before he could recover.

About 2358, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center received a signal from a 406 MHz Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) that was registered to N8070Z. An Air National Guard HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter rescued both pilots about 0150 on September 9.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, fuselage and empennage during the impact.

The U.S. Naval Observatory lists sunset at 2045 and moonset at 2056 on September 8 in Willow.