Beech 1900D accident near Bethel, Alaska, October 22, 2000
On October 22, 2000 at about 9:54 pm local time, a Beech 1900D, registered N575D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bethel, Alaska (Bethel airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 19 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. A factor associated with the accident was the crew's failure to follow appropriate procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 2000 · about 9:54 pm local time
- Place
- Bethel, Alaska · Bethel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 19 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900D · all 1900Ds on the register
- Registration
- N575D · registry record · serial UE-24
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Beech 1900D airplane was landing on a dry, paved, 6,398 feet long by 150 feet wide runway, which required a correction for a left crosswind. During the landing roll, and after activation of the Decoto power steering system, the airplane suddenly veered to the right. The airplane continued off the right side of the runway, into an area of soft terrain, and the nose landing gear collapsed. In a written statement to the NTSB, the captain of the accident airplane wrote, in part: "Because of the strong winds, it was necessary to engage the power steering to assist with the left turn, a normal procedure. As I engaged the power steering, which was armed by the first officer at my request, the aircraft executed an immediate right turn of approximately 45 degrees. Both the first officer and myself attempted to counter-respond the event with full left rudder and maximum left braking. All attempts were unsuccessful, causing us to exit the runway, collapsing the nose gear, and sheering the props." In the presence of NTSB and FAA investigators, extensive tests were conducted on the Decoto power steering system, and associated components. No preaccident mechanical anomalies were noted with the system. The Flight Data Recorder revealed that the crew activated the power steering system with a derived ground speed of about 40 to 50 knots. The Decoto Power Steering System flight manual supplement states: "Use of power steering is limited to taxi operations only."
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,997 hours in all; 237 in this make and model; 237 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 8,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 2, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,173 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 21, 2000; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,950 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-67D (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 3:15 pm
- Destination: BET Bethel AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 6,398 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 323° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from BET
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 17 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.