Beech BE-77 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, December 9, 1990
On December 9, 1990 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Beech BE-77, registered N3809Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Eielson Afb airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PERFORM THE AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH A TOW BAR DURING INITIAL TAXI.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1990 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Eielson Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-77
- Registration
- N3809Y · registry record · serial WA-212
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS STARTING TO TAXI TO THE RUNWAY AND AT THAT POINT THE NOSE WHEEL TOW BAR WAS STILL CONNECTED TO THE NOSE GEAR. THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE TOW BAR CAUSING THE TOW BAR TO STRIKE THE LEFT WING. THE LEFT WING WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 364 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 329 as pilot in command; 72 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,441 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 12, 1990; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,680 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: U.S. Air Force
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: -15°F (-26°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.