Beech 1900C accident near Mcgrath, Alaska, May 24, 2012
On May 24, 2012 at about 11:26 pm local time, a Beech 1900C, registered N111AX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Mcgrath, Alaska (Nixon Fork Mine 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's unstable approach and overrotation, which resulted in a tailstrike.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2012 · about 11:26 pm local time
- Place
- Mcgrath, Alaska · Nixon Fork Mine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900C · all 1900Cs on the register
- Registration
- N111AX · registry record · serial UC-81
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing on a gravel runway. He said that a hill was located in the flight path to the runway, which required a steeper-than-normal approach. The pilot said he misjudged the wind and the rate of descent on final approach. He overrotated in the flare, and the airplane’s tail struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the lower aft fuselage. He said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Altitude deviation during approach
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach
- Tailstrike during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,000 hours in all; 15,000 in this make and model; 295 in the last 90 days; 89 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 28, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 209 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 1,800 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 29, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 60,203 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 9, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 17,600 lb
- Seats: 19
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PT6A-60A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PT6A-60A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alaska Central Express Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: PANC Anchorage AK at 5:30 pm
- Destination: AK40 Mcgrath AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 4,200 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on July 27, 2012. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N111AX 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.