Beech D18S accident near Levelock, Alaska, April 26, 2007
On April 26, 2007 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Beech D18S, registered N502CK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Levelock, Alaska (Levelock airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudged flare, which precipitated a hard landing, and damage to the main landing gear, resulting in a main landing gear collapse during the landing roll. A factor contributing to the accident was the overload failure of the main landing gear atachment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2007 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Levelock, Alaska · Levelock · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D18S · all D18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N502CK · registry record · serial A366
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport certificated pilot was conducting a non-scheduled, domestic cargo flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135. The pilot reported that during the landing roll the right main landing gear collapsed, causing the airplane to exit the right side of the runway. An FAA air safety inspector who visited and photographed the site, said the airplane landed hard on the gravel runway threshold, became airborne again, and touched down about 300 feet down the runway. The inspector photographed main landing gear impact marks on the runway threshold. The marks were several inches deep, 3-6 feet in length, and had gravel sprayed forward and to each side of the track. The tracks began again about 300 feet down the runway. The tracks veered sharply off the right side of the runway, and terminated at the wreckage. The inspector provided a hand-drawn sketch of the marks with approximate distances. The airplane received damage to the landing gear attaching points, right wing, and fuselage.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,013 hours in all; 685 in this make and model; 236 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 12,230 as pilot in command; 807 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,654 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 11,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TPE331-1-101B (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Supply Alaska
The flight
- Departed from: PAEN Kenai AK at 1:25 pm
- Destination: 9Z8 Levelock AK
- Runway 01, 3,281 ft by 59 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.