Narrative:
A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, N126AR, operated by Hageland Aviation Services impacted terrain in the Three Steps Mountain area about 60 km southeast of Bethel, Alaska. A post-crash fire erupted. Both pilots were killed.
The flight was intended to be the first training flight of the newly hired second-in-command (SIC) pilot. The SIC was operating from the airplane's right seat during the training.
The airplane departed Bethel Airport, Alaska, at 15:35. After departure, the airplane began a series of training maneuvers, consistent with normal operations. About 21 minutes into the flight, when the airplane was about 3,400 ft mean sea level, it began a steep descent and subsequently impacted terrain. An airplane performance study showed that the airplane reached a nose-down pitch of about -40 degrees and that the descent rate reached about 16,000 ft per minute.
The NTSB determined that it is likely that the check airman simulated a pitch trim excursion and that the trainee, who lacked experience in the airplane type, did not appropriately respond to the excursion. The check airman did not take remedial action and initiate the recovery procedure in time to prevent the control forces from becoming unmanageable and to ensure that recovery from the associated dive was possible.
The aircraft impacted frozen tundra and came to rest in an area of heavy willows.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The check airman's delayed remedial action and initiation of a recovery procedure after a simulated pitch trim excursion, which resulted in a loss of airplane control."
» Anchorage Daily News
» FAA
» NTSB
PABE 090053Z 36013KT 10SM CLR M07/M16 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP115 T10721161
23:53 UTC / 15:53 local time:
PABE 082353Z 02008KT 10SM CLR M07/M16 A2987 RMK AO2 SLP119 T10721161 11072 21139 56002=
accident date: 08-04-2014
type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
registration: N126AR
accident date: 08-04-2014
type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
registration: N126AR
accident date: 08-04-2014
type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
registration: N126AR
accident date: 08-04-2014
type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
registration: N126AR
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Tuesday 8 April 2014 |
| Time: | 15:56 |
| Type: |  Cessna 208B Grand Caravan |
| Operator: | Hageland Aviation Services |
| Registration: | N126AR |
| MSN: | 208B1004 |
| First flight: | 2002 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 11206 |
| Engines: | 1 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | ca 60 km SE of Bethel, AK ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Bethel Airport, AK (BET/PABE), United States of America |
| Bethel Airport, AK (BET/PABE), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | ERA6AR |
A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, N126AR, operated by Hageland Aviation Services impacted terrain in the Three Steps Mountain area about 60 km southeast of Bethel, Alaska. A post-crash fire erupted. Both pilots were killed.
The flight was intended to be the first training flight of the newly hired second-in-command (SIC) pilot. The SIC was operating from the airplane's right seat during the training.
The airplane departed Bethel Airport, Alaska, at 15:35. After departure, the airplane began a series of training maneuvers, consistent with normal operations. About 21 minutes into the flight, when the airplane was about 3,400 ft mean sea level, it began a steep descent and subsequently impacted terrain. An airplane performance study showed that the airplane reached a nose-down pitch of about -40 degrees and that the descent rate reached about 16,000 ft per minute.
The NTSB determined that it is likely that the check airman simulated a pitch trim excursion and that the trainee, who lacked experience in the airplane type, did not appropriately respond to the excursion. The check airman did not take remedial action and initiate the recovery procedure in time to prevent the control forces from becoming unmanageable and to ensure that recovery from the associated dive was possible.
The aircraft impacted frozen tundra and came to rest in an area of heavy willows.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The check airman's delayed remedial action and initiation of a recovery procedure after a simulated pitch trim excursion, which resulted in a loss of airplane control."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Loss of control
Sources:
» KTUU» Anchorage Daily News
» FAA
» NTSB
METAR Weather report:
00:53 UTC / 16:53 local time:PABE 090053Z 36013KT 10SM CLR M07/M16 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP115 T10721161
23:53 UTC / 15:53 local time:
PABE 082353Z 02008KT 10SM CLR M07/M16 A2987 RMK AO2 SLP119 T10721161 11072 21139 56002=
Photos
accident date: 08-04-2014
type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
registration: N126AR
accident date: 08-04-2014
type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
registration: N126AR
accident date: 08-04-2014
type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
registration: N126AR
accident date: 08-04-2014
type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan
registration: N126AR
Video, social media
Final @flightradar24 flight track of Hageland Cessna 208B N126AR that crashed near Bethel http://t.co/9Eo2lbk1JS pic.twitter.com/G3N2a9N895
— AviationSafety (@AviationSafety) April 10, 2014Map
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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