JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A regional flight aircraft that Crashed onto sea ice near Alaska The incident, which resulted in the deaths of all 10 individuals onboard, occurred because the aircraft was approximately one thousand pounds over its recommended weight limit for traveling through cold weather conditions. This information was included in an initial report published by the National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday.
The weight is merely a "piece of data" in the continuing inquiry, warned Clint Johnson, who heads the NTSB's Alaska division. It typically takes a year or longer from an accident for a final report with probable causes to be released.
The airplane accident involving Bering Air on February 6th stands as one of the most fatal aviation incidents in Alaska during this century. The third significant U.S. aircraft accident Over an eight-day period, a commercial airliner and an Army helicopter. crashed into the Potomac River on Jan. 29, killing 67 people . A medical transportation plane crashed In Philadelphia on January 31, this resulted in the deaths of all six people onboard as well as one individual on the ground.
Small aircraft such as the Cessna Caravan involved in this accident are the workhorses of Alaska In this region, over 200 villages remain inaccessible via roads and can only be reached by air or waterways. Much like how residents in the Lower 48 states use their vehicles for daily needs, locals here depend on small aircraft to travel to doctor’s visits, conferences, stores, family gatherings, as well as to participate in out-of-town high school athletic events.
The small aircraft with one engine, powered by a turbine propeller, took off that afternoon heading from Unalakleet to Nome, covering approximately 150 miles (240 kilometers). Not long after departure, around an hour into the flight, officials lost communication as per statements made by David Olson, who was overseeing operations for Bering Air back then. It’s reported that the missing Cessna Caravan vanished roughly 30 miles (50 kilometers) away from reaching its destination.
An examination of the aircraft after the accident revealed that its approximate total weight upon departure was around 9,865 pounds (4,475 kilograms), which exceeded the recommended limit by approximately 1,058 pounds (480 kilograms) when flying through regions with anticipated ice formation. According to reports, this exceeds the maximum authorized takeoff gross weight specified for flights expected to encounter icy conditions, set at 8,807 pounds (3,995 kilograms) as stated in the pilot operating handbook.
Johnson stated that it still needs to be established if being overweight contributed to the incident. The flight path was expected to have icing conditions, and there was snowfall with occasional freezing rain in Nome, as mentioned by him. Authorities are working to ascertain which details about weather conditions reached the pilot before takeoff, what data he possessed during departure, and whether icy circumstances prevailed at where the aircraft crashed, according to his comments.
An email requesting comments sent to Bering Air has not been promptly responded to as of yet.
In remote areas of Alaska, weather frequently plays a significant role, and although air travel is routine for many residents, it can be perilous, according to Whitney Power Wilson, an aviation accident litigation attorney and pilot based in Anchorage.
Icing should be a concern for every pilot, particularly for those flying smaller planes and those often operating under icy conditions," she stated. "The weight of an aircraft, along with the reality of encountering ice, must be treated with seriousness as the outcomes could be devastating.
Investigations included examining the airplane’s altitude. The region they were concerned with had conditions conducive to moderate icing from altitudes of 2,000 feet (610 meters) up to 8,000 feet (2,438 meters). This zone posed significant hazards for lighter aircraft as well, according to statements made by NTSB Chairperson Jennifer Homendy during a press briefing held in Nome recently.
The contact was severed soon after air traffic control informed the pilot that the runway in Nome would be shut down for approximately 15 minutes for de-icing purposes, according to the report.
The controller mentioned that if the pilot wished to 'ease up a bit' to avoid reaching before the runway was back in service, that would be acceptable, according to the report. The pilot agreed with this suggestion.
The pilot manual also states that maintaining an airspeed of 95 knots is necessary when flying in icing conditions provided that the de-icing equipment is completely operational.
Approximately three minutes after being instructed to descend to 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) as deemed appropriate by the pilot, the autopilot disconnected when the aircraft was traveling at 99 knots. It rapidly decreased to 70 knots shortly thereafter and had reached around 3,100 feet (945 meters). According to the report, the last satellite tracking information received was just under a minute later, specifically at 3:20 p.m., with the plane at an elevation of only 200 feet.
According to the report, the de-icing system on the wings and tail of the five-year-old turboprop aircraft was engineered to stop ice buildup.
The operator mentioned that the amount of deicing fluid was verified during every preflight check. Although the pilot must confirm that enough fluid is present, there isn’t an obligation to document when it gets loaded onto the aircraft. An employee from the Unalakleet airport informed the pilot about the availability of the fluid; however, as per the report, the pilot stated that their tank was already full.
The U.S. Coast Guard mentioned they did not receive any distress calls from the aircraft. Following a thorough search, the debris was located the next day floating on an ice drift. It was determined that both the pilot and all nine passengers had perished.
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Thiessen provided input from Anchorage, Alaska.