Casa C-212 accident near Mcgrath, Alaska, December 18, 1998
On December 18, 1998 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Casa C-212, registered N502FS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcgrath, Alaska (Nixon Fork Mine Airstrip airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 20 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flightcrew's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. A factor associated with the accident was a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 1998 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Mcgrath, Alaska · Nixon Fork Mine Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 20 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Casa C-212
- Registration
- N502FS · registry record · serial 294
- 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 captain reported that the takeoff was to be flown by the first officer. He said that after he completed the before takeoff checklist, he applied the brakes, and held them while the first officer applied full takeoff power. The captain reported that upon releasing the brakes, the aircraft accelerated to about 45 knots, and suddenly started pulling to the right. He added that both pilots pulled the power levers to the flight idle position as he took control of the airplane. He then applied full reverse thrust and heavy braking while trying to keep the nose straight, but the airplane kept pulling to the right. The captain added that in his opinion, the left engine continued to produce forward thrust after he placed the engine control levers into the full reverse position. The airplane continued off the right side of the 4,400 feet long by 75 feet wide runway, down an embankment, and into an area of large boulders. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, and right wing. Wind conditions about 32 minutes before the accident were reported to be from the east, at 20 knots. The engine functioned within acceptable parameters when installed in a test cell. The Cockpit Voice Recorder revealed that the crew planned for the use of differential power in order 'to keep it on the runway.'
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,385 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 30, 1998; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 16,976 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett TPE 331-10R (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ANC Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 18 |
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.