Beech 1900C accident near Saint Mary'S, Alaska, February 12, 1999
On February 12, 1999 at about 3:45 am local time, a Beech 1900C, registered N31240, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saint Mary'S, Alaska (Saint Mary'S airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's descent below the minimum descent altitude on the instrument approach. Factors were pilot fatigue resulting from the pilot's rest period being interrupted by scheduling discussions and the night weather conditions of low ceilings and whiteout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1999 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Saint Mary'S, Alaska · Saint Mary'S · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900C · all 1900Cs on the register
- Registration
- N31240 · registry record · serial UC-28
- 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 airline transport pilot was cleared for the localizer approach. The airplane impacted the ground 3.2 nautical miles from the runway threshold. The minimum descent altitude (MDA) for the approach was 560 feet msl, which is 263 feet above touchdown. Night, instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The surrounding terrain was flat, snow-covered, and featureless. The reported weather was 200 feet overcast, 1 1/2 miles visibility in snow, and winds of 12 knots, gusting to 32 knots. The pilot reported he was established on the final approach course, descending to the MDA, and then woke up in the snow. He said he did not remember any problems with the airplane. No preaccident mechanical anomalies were discovered with the airplane during the investigation. The airport has high intensity runway lights, sequenced flashing lead-in lights, and visual approach slope indicator lights. All airport lights and navigation aids were functioning. The airplane was not equipped with an autopilot. Captains have the option of requesting a copilot, but, the captain's pay is reduced by a portion equal to one-half the copilot's pay. The pilot had returned from the previous nights trip at 0725. He had three rest periods, four hours, two hours, and five hours 15 minutes, since his previous nights flight. Each rest period was interrupted by contact with the company. The company indicated that it is the pilot's responsibility to tell the company if duty times are being exceeded. 14 CFR 135.267 states, in part: '(d) Each assignment ... must provide for at least 10 consecutive hours of rest during the 24 hours that precedes the planned completion of the assignment.'
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,326 hours in all; 1,587 in this make and model; 266 in the last 90 days; 91 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,588 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 1, 1999; 132 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 17,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-65B (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alaska Central Express, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 1:45 am
- Destination: KSM
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 6,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 14 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 5°F (-15°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 am from KSM, 4 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.