- Date
- December 13, 2005, 15:50 local (19:50 UTC)
- Place
- Newtok, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N454SFCessna 208B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20051213030319A
- Case key
- 62956
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
The pilot's inadequate compensation for gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in the airplane exiting the runway, encountering snow, and the nose gear collapsing. Factors associated with the accident were the gusting wind and the icy runway.
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 airline transport certificated pilot of the Title 14, CFR Part 135 flight was taking off on runway 33, when a gust of wind blew the airplane to the left edge of the runway where it encountered a snow berm. The pilot reported the runway was ice-covered, and the wind was from 060 degrees at 20 knots, with gusts to 25 knots. The airplane exited the runway, the nose gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. According to the director of operations for the operator, there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident. He said the airplane sustained damage to the left wing, nose gear and propeller during the accident.
Factual narrative
The airline transport certificated pilot of the Title 14, CFR Part 135 flight was taking off on runway 33, when a gust of wind blew the airplane to the left edge of the runway where it encountered a snow berm. The pilot reported the runway was ice-covered, and the wind was from 060 degrees at 20 knots, with gusts to 25 knots. The airplane exited the runway, the nose gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. According to the director of operations for the operator, there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident. He said the airplane sustained damage to the left wing, nose gear and propeller during the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N454SF
- Reported as
- Cessna 208B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 208B-0797
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A, 675 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Grant Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- AAIP · April 1, 2005
- Departed
- PAEW · Newtok, AK
- Destination
- PABE · Bethel, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,313 total · 282 in this make and model · 273 in the last 90 days · 64 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.20 inHg
- Observed at
- PAEW
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N454SF · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.