Construcciones Aeronauticas SA C-212-CC accident near Kotzebue, Alaska, February 14, 2009
On February 14, 2009 at about 3:02 pm local time, a Construcciones Aeronauticas SA C-212-CC, registered N440RA, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Kotzebue, Alaska (Kotzebue airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew's decision to continue flight into adverse weather. Contributing to the accident was blowing snow which limited their visibility during final approach to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 2009 · about 3:02 pm local time
- Place
- Kotzebue, Alaska · Kotzebue · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Construcciones Aeronauticas SA C-212-CC · all C-212-CCs on the register
- Registration
- N440RA · registry record · serial 174
- 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 captain and commercial certificated first officer were on a non-scheduled domestic cargo flight. The captain stated that while en route to the destination airport, the weather at the airport dropped below visual flight rules (VFR) minimums, and he received a special VFR clearance. He said that the local area and runway were covered with snow, but when he turned final he could see the airport beacon and associated buildings. He said about 200 feet above the ground on approach he lost sight of the runway environment, and asked the first officer if he could see anything. When the first officer said no, and reported their altitude at 50 feet agl, the captain said he initiated a go-around, but the airplane impacted the terrain short of the runway. The captain reported that there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane or its instruments prior to the accident. The Director of Operations for the operator said the airplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage near the left main landing gear. An Federal Aviation Administration flight service specialist at the airport said the visibility had been about 1-1/4 miles, but dropped to 1/4-mile rapidly during the time of the approach. Weather observations taken at the airport showed that about 3 minutes before the accident, the visibility was 1 mile in light snow and blowing snow, wind as 160 degrees at 28 knots gusting to 32. About 1 minute before the accident, the visibility was reported as 1/4-mile in light snow and blowing snow, wind from 160 degrees at 33 knots gusting to 36. About 3 minutes after the accident, the visibility remained at 1/4-mile in light snow and blowing snow, and the wind was reported as 170 degrees at 35 knots with gusts to 42.
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
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › (general) › (general) › Flight crew
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Snow › Decision related to condition
- factor Environmental issues › Task environment › Physical workspace › Visibility › Effect on personnel
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Snow › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,377 hours in all; 4,020 in this make and model; 227 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 3,910 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 19, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,229 hours in all; 862 in this make and model; 138 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 228 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 29, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 29,161 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 21, 2009
- Seats: 28
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Honeywell TPE-331-10R-5 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Honeywell TPE-331-10R-5 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Arctic Transportation Services INC
The flight
- Departed from: PAIK Kiana AK at 2:40 pm
- Destination: PAQT Kotzebue
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 28 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,900 ft; a few clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.60 inHg
- Observation at 3:01 pm from PAQT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC09LA019.