Rockwell International 690B accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, July 3, 2025
On July 3, 2025 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1977 Rockwell International 690B, registered N690AX, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Fairbanks, Alaska (Ladd Army Airfield). It was a personal flight 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 failure to maintain control during takeoff resulting in a gear-up landing on the runway. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s momentary distraction from within the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2025 · about 11:00 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Ladd Army Airfield · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell International 690B, built 1977 · all 690Bs on the register
- Registration
- N690AX · registry record · serial 11384
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator reported that the pilot taxied out on to the runway, and upon receiving a takeoff clearance, began the takeoff roll. As the airplane rotated and began to climb, the pilot retracted the landing gear, subsequently, a gallon jug of water slid to the back of the airplane and impacted the aft cabin bulkhead, making a loud “bang” sound. The pilot looked back towards the noise to assess the nature of the sound and inadvertently allowed the airplane to descend and contact the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Situational awareness › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,200 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 9,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 19, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,350 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 28, 2025; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Honeywell TPE-331-512k (turboprop); 12,980 hours total
- Engine 2: Honeywell TPE-331-512k (turboprop); 18,073 hours total
- Operator: Clearwater Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: FBK Fairbanks AK at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 8,575 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; a few clouds at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from PAFB
Weather report (METAR): PAFB 032255Z 06003KT 8SM FU FEW085 BKN200 27/07 A2985 RMK AO2A VIS E-SE 3 SLP112 FU VC ALQDS T02730072 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident airplane at accident site
Photograph 2 – Fuselage damage to accident airplaneThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 21, 2025. 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, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N690AX on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Rockwell International 690 114 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Rockwell International 657 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Honeywell TPE-331-512k 27 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Honeywell TPE-331-512k 27 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Ladd Army Airfield · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC25LA067.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.