N1276P

On February 10, 2004, about 1652 Alaska standard time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 208B airplane, N1276P, sustained substantial damage when it collided with snow-covered terrain after it departed the runway and nosed over during the takeoff roll at the Toksook Bay Airport, Toksook Bay, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled passenger flight to Newtok, Alaska, under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated as Flight 2821 by Grant Aviation Inc., Anchorage, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, and the 6 passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on February 12, the director of operations for the operator reported that the pilot was departing on runway 34. The runway surface had areas of packed snow and ice, and the director of operations indicated that he had received reports that a right crosswind was blowing from 070 degrees between 15 to 25 knots. According to the director of operations, the pilot said that about 300 feet after beginning the takeoff roll, between 30 to 50 knots airspeed, the airplane began to drift to the left, which he was unable to correct. The airplane departed off the left side of the runway and nosed over. The airplane received damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage.

Runway 34 at Toksook Bay is 3,200 feet long and 60 feet wide.

According to the accident airplane's information manual, the maximum demonstrated crosswind velocity, takeoff or landing, is 20 knots.