# NTSB ANC19CA002: Beech 1900, N575Q, Gambell, AK, October 3, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: October 3, 2018, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Gambell, AK - Coordinates: 63.772777, -171.734725 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.7728&lon=-171.7347&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 9 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 98451 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC19CA002 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/98451/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98451 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC19CA002 ## Probable cause The pilot’s unstabilized approach and improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the flight crew, the instrument approach was flown above the glideslope in anticipation of mechanical turbulence. As the airplane descended through 500 ft, the pilot monitoring notified the pilot flying that the airplane was high on the approach. The airplane continued the approach above the glideslope, and the landing flare was conducted too high, which resulted in an excessive sink rate. The pilot flying attempted to arrest the sink rate but was unable to do so, and the airplane landed harder than expected, which resulted in a tail strike and substantial damage to the lower aft fuselage. ## Factual narrative According to the flight crew, the instrument approach was flown above the glide slope in anticipation of mechanical turbulence. As the airplane descended through 500 ft, the pilot monitoring notified the pilot flying, that the airplane was high on the approach. The airplane continued the approach above the glide slope and the landing flare was conducted too high, which resulted in an excessive sink rate. The pilot flying attempted to arrest the sink rate but was unable, and the airplane landed harder than expected, striking the tail, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower aft fuselage. ## Aircraft - Registration: N575Q (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Beech 1900 (C) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: UC-160 - Year built: 1991 - Airframe hours: 47493.9 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65B 1173 horsepower turbo prop; Pratt & Whitney PT6A SER 1173 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Hageland Aviation - Registered owner: Icecap LLC Trustee - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, September 11, 2018 - Departed: OME, Nome, AK - Destination: GAM, Gambell, AK - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: GAM, Gambell, runway 16, 4,499 × 96 ft, concrete - Equipment: Satellite tracking device, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 7, 2018; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 4,415 total, 220 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 9 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 60; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 3, 2018; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 11,081 total, 686 in this make and model, 11,052 as pilot in command, 337 in the last 90 days, 105 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 80° at 21 knots, gusting 28 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 900 ft broken - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.20 inHg - Observed at: PAGM ## 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 20181003016629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181003016629A), Oct 3, 2018: Beech 1900C, Gambell, AK, Substantial damage. On October 3, 2018, at approximately 2335Z, N575Q encountered a tailstrike during landing. This was classified as an accident due to structural damage to the… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 29, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=98451. 3.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468689&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Flight Crew Statements (item 2, .PDF, 188 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468692&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Crew%20Statements-Master.PDF - Photos (item 3, .PDF, 3 photos, 236 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40468693&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.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.