Short Bros. & Harland SC7 SERIES accident near Skwentna, Alaska, September 26, 2009
On September 26, 2009 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Short Bros. & Harland SC7 SERIES, registered N754BD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Skwentna, Alaska (Rainy Pass Lodge airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 failure to maintain directional control while landing on a rough, soft, and narrow airstrip.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2009 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · Rainy Pass Lodge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Short Bros. & Harland SC7 SERIES · all SC7 SERIESs on the register
- Registration
- N754BD · registry record · serial SH1907
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was taking cargo to a remote mining airstrip when, during the landing roll, the main landing gear wheels encountered several soft spots and he had difficulty maintaining directional control. The nosewheel encountered rough and soft terrain near the edge of the airstrip and collapsed rearward, damaging a fuselage structural bulkhead. The pilot stated that there was no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane and that it would have been beneficial to have a wider runway and more experience in that type of airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Soft › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Soft › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 22,500 hours in all; 30 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 20
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Garrett TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ama/Expr UNKNOWN ENG (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: All West Freight INC
The flight
- Departed from: 40AK Sterling AK at 1:00 pm
- Destination: 6AK Skwentna AK
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 29
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots, gusting 18
- Sky: broken clouds; a few clouds
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:00 pm from 6AK, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.