Beech 1900 accident near Gambell, Alaska, October 3, 2018
On October 3, 2018 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1991 Beech 1900, registered N575Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Gambell, Alaska (Gambell airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s unstabilized approach and improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 2018 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gambell, Alaska · Gambell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900 C, built 1991 · all 1900s on the register
- Registration
- N575Q · no longer on the register · serial UC-160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight crew, the instrument approach was flown above the glideslope in anticipation of mechanical turbulence. As the airplane descended through 500 ft, the pilot monitoring notified the pilot flying that the airplane was high on the approach. The airplane continued the approach above the glideslope, and the landing flare was conducted too high, which resulted in an excessive sink rate. The pilot flying attempted to arrest the sink rate but was unable to do so, and the airplane landed harder than expected, which resulted in a tail strike and substantial damage to the lower aft 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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
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 › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- 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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,415 hours in all; 220 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 7, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,081 hours in all; 686 in this make and model; 337 in the last 90 days; 105 in the last 30 days; 11,052 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 3, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 47,493.9 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 11, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 16,600 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-65B (turboprop); 41,623 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A SER (turboprop); 1,464 hours total
- Operator: Hageland Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: OME Nome AK
- Destination: GAM Gambell AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 4,499 ft by 96 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 21 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.20 inHg
- Observation at 11:33 pm from PAGM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on November 29, 2018. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Crew Statements | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.