Cessna U206G Stationair, Rustair Inc., N4596U: Accident occurred May 23, 2016 in Chanega Bay, Alaska

Rustair Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N4596U 

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA272
Nonscheduled 14 CFR Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Accident occurred Monday, May 23, 2016 in Chinita Bay, AK
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/27/2016
Aircraft: CESSNA U206G, registration: N4596U
Injuries: 5 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

According to the pilot, after landing he taxied the tri-cycle landing gear-equipped airplane on a rocky, soft sand beach and the nose wheel bounced off of a sand berm. He reported that when the nose wheel bounced, the tail section contacted the ground. He recalled that he parked the airplane, inspected the empennage and determined the damage to be minor, and departed on a subsequent flight. However, a subsequent inspection of the empennage by the company's mechanic revealed that the aft fuselage bulkhead had sustained substantial damage.

The pilot reported that prior to the taxi there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane or any of its systems that would have prevented normal flight operations.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for taxi, resulting in a tail strike and aft fuselage substantial damage.