Amateur-built SC7 accident near Bethel, Alaska, July 13, 1992
On July 13, 1992 at about 8:30 pm local time, a amateur-built SC7, registered N20086, was destroyed in an accident near Bethel, Alaska (Bethel airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE SECURITY OF THE CARGO WHICH SHIFTED REARWARD DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE OVER GROSS WEIGHT CONDITION, AND THE IMPROPER ALTERATION OF THE TIE DOWN RINGS BY THE OVERHAULING MAINTENANCE FACILITY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1992 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bethel, Alaska · Bethel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SC7
- Registration
- N20086 · registry record · serial SH-1918
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE ROLLED 200-300 FT BEFORE BECOMING AIRBORNE IN A VERY NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. IT MAINTAINED THIS ATTITUDE, MADE A RIGHT, THEN A LEFT BANK, AND FELL TO THE GROUND IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE CARGO CONSISTED OF EIGHT 55-GAL DRUMS OF FUEL, LAID ON THEIR SIDE AND SECURED BY ONE CARGO STRAP RUNNING FORE AND AFT AND ANOTHER CARGO STRAP RUNNING DIAGONALLY ACROSS THE BARRELS. THE TIE DOWN RING ULTIMATE STRENGTH RATING WAS 1600 POUNDS. THE WEIGHT OF THE CARGO WAS 2863 POUNDS. THREE OF THE CARGO HOOKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CARGO STRAPS WERE FOUND STILL ATTACHED TO THE TIE DOWN RINGS, AND ONE HOOK AND TIE DOWN RING WERE NOT LOCATED. POST-IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE CARGO STRAPS, AND THE BARRELS WERE STREWN RANDOMLY THROUGH THE CABIN/CARGO AREA. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER, THE DAVIS TIE DOWN RING INSTALLATION IS NOT APPROVED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE MODIFICATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED UNDER A SUPPLEMENTAL TYPE CERTIFICATE. THE LOGBOOKS SHOWED ONLY AN ENTRY. THE CERTIFICATED MAX GROSS WEIGHT WAS CALCULATED TO HAVE BEEN EXCEEDED BY 324.8 LBS.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 4,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,390 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 14, 1992; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 20
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett TPE331-2-201A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Arctic Circle Air Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BET at 3:30 pm
- Destination: VAK Chevak AK
- Runway 18, 6,398 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 028° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:31 pm from BET, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.