N8076Z

On February 28, 1993, at 1800 Alaska standard time, a wheel ski equipped Cessna 206 airplane, N8076Z, registered to and operated by the Pilot in Command, collapsed its nose gear during taxi for takeoff on Kashwitna Lake located near Willow, Alaska. The personal flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, had departed Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, and the destination was Kashwitna Lake and return to Elmendorf. A visual flight rules flight plan was in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The Airline Transport certificated pilot and the one passenger were not injured, and the airplane received substantial damage.

According to the Pilot, he was taxiing at 15 to 20 knots when the airplane taxied over double snow machine tracks. He stated that the tracks were difficult to see. The nose of the airplane came off the ground and when he pushed the nose back on the ground the toe of the nose wheel ski dug into the soft snow, caused the airplane to turn to the right abruptly, and collapsed the nose gear. The airplane nosed up and struck the propeller and left wing on the snow.