Overweight Plane Crashes in Alaska, Killing All 10 On Board

A recent report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicates that a Cessna plane crash in Alaska last month, which resulted in the tragic loss of all 10 individuals on board, was exacerbated by the aircraft being significantly overweight for the icing conditions.

Alaska plane crashed and killed 10

The ill-fated Bering Air flight, traveling from Unalakleet to Nome on February 6, 2023, faced an unfortunate turn of events. The NTSB report reveals that subsequent calculations conducted after the crash revealed that the cargo gross takeoff weight at departure was 9,865 pounds.

Disturbingly, this weight exceeded the maximum limit for the forecast icing conditions by approximately 1,058 pounds. The report further disclosed that the aircraft was utilizing a payload extender, rendering it 803 pounds over the limit for any flight operations with that system.

Technical Evaluation and Further Steps

As part of the ongoing investigation, a senior NTSB aerospace engineer will conduct a detailed review of the airplane's performance, encompassing an evaluation of the airplane's center of gravity location. However, Bering Air has not yet responded to requests for comments via voicemail and email.

The Flight's Route and Discovery of Wreckage

The ill-fated Cessna 208B successfully took off from Unalakleet, situated on the coast of Norton Sound in western Alaska, at 2:37 p.m. on February 6, 2023, embarking on its journey toward Nome, located approximately 140 miles away. Unfortunately, the aircraft failed to reach its destination, and the wreckage was subsequently discovered on a large floating icepack on Norton Sound, southeast of Nome, the following day, as outlined in the NTSB report.

The report further illuminates the final known location of the plane, indicated by Federal Aviation Administration 'automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast' data, at 3:20 p.m. approximately 32 miles southeast of the Nome airport and 12 miles offshore of Norton Sound. The NTSB report emphasizes that the investigation into the crash is still underway, and the preliminary report released does not ascertain the cause of the incident.