- Date
- August 18, 2000, 14:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Deadhorse, AK
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N995SBBeech C-99
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Status
- Completed · report July 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Case key
- 50167
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
An in-flight collision with a bird.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The captain of the twin engine turboprop airplane reported that about 25 minutes after departure, while in cruise, level flight, he saw a flock of four ducks pass from right to left in front of the airplane. He said that he tried to avoid the flock, but was unable to avoid a collision. He continued to his intended destination, which was the closest airport, and landed the airplane without difficulty. A postlanding inspection of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the left side of the fuselage, forward bulkhead, and radome.
Factual narrative
On August 18, 2000, about 1450 Alaska daylight time, a Beech C-99 airplane, N995SB, sustained substantial damage when a bird struck the nose of the airplane while in cruise flight, about 28 miles west of Deadhorse, Alaska. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, Cape Smythe Air Service, Inc., Barrow, Alaska. The flight was being conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 135, as scheduled commuter Flight 181. There were no injuries to the two pilots or the three passengers aboard. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the Deadhorse Airport, Deadhorse, about 1438, and was en route to Nuiqsut, Alaska.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on August 21, the director of operations for the operator reported that about 25 minutes after departure, while in cruise, level flight, the captain saw a flock of four ducks pass from right to left in front of the airplane. He said that the captain tried to avoid the flock, but was unable to avoid a collision. The captain continued to his intended destination, which was the closest airport, and landed the airplane without difficulty.
A postlanding inspection of the airplane by the captain revealed substantial damage to the left side of the fuselage, forward bulkhead, and radome.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N995SB
- Reported as
- Beech C-99
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D179
- Engine
- P&W PT6-36, 715 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Cape Smythe Air Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Departed
- SCC · AK
- Destination
- 10AK · Nuiqsut, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 4,300 in this make and model · 13,900 as pilot in command · 390 in the last 90 days · 120 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None