Cessna 208 accident near Bethel, Alaska, December 19, 1987
On December 19, 1987 at about 3:55 pm local time, a Cessna 208, registered N9438F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bethel, Alaska (Bethel airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries; 8 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 1987 · about 3:55 pm local time
- Place
- Bethel, Alaska · Bethel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 8 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208 · all 208s on the register
- Registration
- N9438F · no longer on the register · serial 20800053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD PLANNED TO BACK TAXI FOR TAKEOFF ON RWY 36. THE TOWER CONTROLLER ASKED IF A RWY 18 DEPARTURE WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO ACCOMMODATE AN ARRIVING ACFT & THE PLT ACCEPTED A CLNC. HE STARTED HIS TAKEOFF WITH 3900' REMAINING ON THE 6399' RWY. AFTER INITIAL LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT WOULD NOT SUSTAIN FLT. THE PLT 'INTENTIONALLY LANDED' BEYOND THE END OF THE RWY ON SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THERE WAS A SLIGHT TAIL WIND & THE ACFT WAS APRX 1200 TO 1400 LBS OVER ITS MAX WT LIMIT. ALSO, THE LEADING EDGES OF THE WINGS HAD SOME RESIDUAL IN-FLT ICE THAT THE DE-ICE BOOTS HAD NOT CLEARED FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY'S FLT.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,138 hours in all; 360 in this make and model; 238 in the last 90 days; 2,138 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,179 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 9, 1987; 137 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,300 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-114 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hermens Air
The flight
- Destination: RSH Russian Mission AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,399 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 28.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:16 pm from BET, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 7 |
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 N9438F 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.