Cessna 172M accident near Bethel, Alaska, January 19, 2010
On January 19, 2010 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20109, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Bethel, Alaska (Bethel airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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 of the airplane during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 2010 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bethel, Alaska · Bethel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20109 · no longer on the register · serial 17261017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was taking off on a passenger flight when the accident occurred. The pilot reported that he lost directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll, and that the airplane went off the left side of the runway and collided with a snowbank. The airplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage aft of the nosewheel. The pilot reported that after exiting the airplane he discovered that the left main landing gear wheel was locked up and that he was unable to rotate the wheel. The director of operations reported that the left main landing gear wheel and assembly was examined by their mechanics and that no mechanical malfunctions were discovered.
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 takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,180 hours in all; 650 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,655 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 29, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Yute Air Taxi
The flight
- Departed from: PABE Bethel AK at 1:30 pm
- Destination: PANA Napakiak AK
- Runway 01, 6,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,100 ft; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point -8°F (-22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.19 inHg
- Observation at 1:30 pm from BET
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N20109 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.