# Incident 20121107025959I: Reims Aviation S.A. F406/CARAVAN II, Bethel, AK, November 7, 2012

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 7, 2012, 10:30 local time
- Place: Bethel, AK
- Airport: Bethel
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: EPUA
- Location: 60.7922° N, 161.7558° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bethel, AK, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.7922&lon=-161.7558&mi=10
- Aircraft: N861FT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N861FT-2016-07-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Reims Aviation S A F406 (registry code 7534006, https://openairdocs.org/model/reims-aviation-s-a-f406) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-112 (registry code 52255, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-112) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: REIMS AVIATION S.A. F406/CARAVAN II
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6A-112
- People aboard: 9
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 12,800 total, 119 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121107025959I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AT APPROXIMATELY 1030 ON 11/7/2012, THE AIR CARRIER'S DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS INFORMED THE CMT THAT ONE OF THEIR AIRCRAFT WAS CIRCLING THE BETHEL AIRPORT WITH A NOSE LANDING GEAR THAT FAILED TO EXTEND.  ACCORDING TO INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THE BETHEL TOWER AND ALASKA ROC, N861FT A CESSNA F406 CALLED THE BETHEL TOWER ABOUT 25 MILES OUT AND NOTIFIED ATC THAT THE NOSE GEAR OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT DOWN.  THE PILOT THEN SPENT APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES OUT TO THE SOUTH BURNING OFF FUEL AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE COMPANY ABOUT FINDING A SOLUTION TO THE GEAR PROBLEM.  AN EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED BY THE CONTROLLER WORKING THE POSITION.  EMERGENCY VEHICLES WERE STAGED ON THE AIRFIELD.  THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 1L.  THE AIRPLANE LANDED WITH THE NOSE GEAR IN THE UP POSITION.  ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGINES JUST PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN.  DURING THE TOUCH DOWN PHASE ONE BLADE ON THE LEFT SIDE PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER.  THE CARGO POD ON THE FUSELAGE BELLY APPEARED TO ABSORB MOST OF THE IMPACT.  AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT THERE WERE 8 PASSENGERS ON BOARD.  NONE OF THE PASSENGERS OR PILOT RECEIVED ANY INJURY.  DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PIC, HE STATED THAT HE DID ACTIVATE THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEM BUT IT FAILED TO EXTEND THE NOSE GEAR.MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW.  SEE PTRS AL03201303022

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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