# NTSB ANC00LA017: Cessna 208B, N5187B, Bethel, AK, December 6, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 6, 1999, 09:58 local (13:58 UTC) - Place: Bethel, AK - Location: 60.7786° N, 161.8372° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at BETHEL (BET), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.7786&lon=-161.8372&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 17, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 48513 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC00LA017 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/48513/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=48513 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00LA017 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight and his failure to remove snow and airframe ice from the airplane. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Forced landing, takeoff - initial climb - airframe - ice (cause) - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft control - not possible, pilot in command - Overrun, emergency landing after takeoff - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing after takeoff - terrain condition - snow covered ## Analysis The certificated airline transport pilot, with one, pilot-rated passenger aboard, was departing runway 36 on a scheduled commuter flight. The pilot said that about 100 feet above the runway, he retracted 10 degrees of flaps. He added that as the airplane climbed to about 200 feet above the runway, he retracted the remaining 10 degrees of flaps, and the airplane descended while rolling to the left. The pilot stated that he had to apply full right aileron to keep the airplane upright. He said full power was already applied to the engine, but the airplane continued to descend. The airplane landed on the runway, about 200 feet from the runway threshold, and continued off the end of the runway, into snow-covered terrain. The pilot stated that during his preflight inspection, he removed an accumulation of ice and snow from the wings and empennage. Due to scheduling delays, the flight did not depart until about 2 hours after the initial preflight. The pilot said that prior to departure, he did not recheck for any additional frost accumulation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the propeller, fuselage, and wings. ## Factual narrative On December 6, 1999, about 0958 Alaska standard time, a wheel equipped Cessna 208B airplane, N5187B, sustained substantial damage after colliding with snow-covered terrain during takeoff from the Bethel Airport, Bethel, Alaska. The flight was being conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 135, as a scheduled commuter flight, operated by Arctic Circle Air, Inc., as Flight 30. The certificated airline transport pilot, and the sole pilot-rated passenger aboard, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company VFR flight following procedures were in effect for the flight to Marshall, Alaska. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on December 6, the pilot reported that he arrived at the airport about 0800, and performed a preflight inspection of the accident airplane. He said that the airplane had been parked outside all night, and added that the wings, horizontal stabilizer, elevators, and windscreen had a "noticeable amount of frost on them." The pilot reported that he used a broom, while standing of a ladder, to remove an accumulation of frost, and light snow. He then returned to the hanger to wait for the load of cargo to arrive. He said that due to scheduling delays, the cargo did not arrive at the airport until about 0850, at which time the cargo was loaded, and the pilot prepared for departure. He said that before departure, he did not recheck the wings or flight control surfaces for any additional frost accumulation. The pilot reported that while departing runway 36, about 100 feet above the runway, he retracted 10 degrees of flaps. He added that as the airplane climbed to about 200 feet above the runway, he retracted the remaining 10 degrees of flaps, and the airplane descended while rolling to the left. The pilot stated that he had to apply full right aileron to keep the airplane upright. He said full power was already applied to the engine, but the airplane continued to descend. The airplane landed on the runway, about 200 feet from the runway threshold, and continued off the end of the runway, into snow-covered terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the propeller, fuselage, and wings. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5187B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5187B-2009-04-13), registration cancelled 2009-04-13, S/N 208B0270, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 208B - Registry model: [Cessna 208B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-208b) (registry code 2073701) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 208B0270 - Airframe hours: 6105 - Engines: P&W PT6A-114A 675 lbs thrust turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Arctic Air Group, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, November 22, 1999, 42 hours before - Departed: BET, AK - Destination: MLL, MARSHALL, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: BET, Bethel, runway 36, 6,398 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 4,375 total, 750 in this make and model, 4,225 as pilot in command, 288 in the last 90 days, 98 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Wind: 280° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: -11 °F, dew point -0 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: PAB ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19991206046709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991206046709A), Dec 6, 1999: Cessna 208B, Bethel, AK, No damage. (-23) Upon retracting the flaps from 10 degrees to up after takeoff from the Bethel, Alaska airport, the aircraft settled. Pilot re-selected the flaps to 10… ## Other investigations on N5187B (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC08LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC08LA027), Dec 18, 2007: Cessna 208B (N5187B), Bethel, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to adequately remove frost contamination from the airplane, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent collision with terrain during an emergency landing after takeoff. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 12, 2001, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=48513. 893 KB in all. - Supplement E (item 1, .PDF, 383 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410895&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20E-Redacted.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 511 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40410896&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.