Mcdonnell Douglas DC 9 33F accident near Bethel, Alaska, December 23, 2017
On December 23, 2017 at about 9:21 pm local time, a 1969 Mcdonnell Douglas DC 9 33F, registered N935CE, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Bethel, Alaska (Bethel airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of a cargo tie-down fastener, resulting in unsecured cargo striking the pressure bulkhead.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2017 · about 9:21 pm local time
- Place
- Bethel, Alaska · Bethel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC 9 33F 33F, built 1969 · all DC 9 33Fs on the register
- Registration
- N935CE · registry record · serial 47413
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 23, 2017 at 1221 Alaska Standard Time (AkST) a Boeing/McDonnell-Douglas DC-9, registration N935CE, experienced a depressurization on initial climb from the Bethel, Alaska, airport (PABE.) The flight crew returned to Bethel and landed with no further incident. There were no injuries to the two flight crew and one cargo handler on board. The depressurization resulted from a pallet jack in the cargo compartment impacting the rear pressure bulkhead, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. Inspection revealed a tie-down fastener for the pallet jack had pulled out.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Seat/cargo attach fitting › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 15, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane
- Flight time: 5,250 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 3,400 as pilot in command; 1,700 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 6, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 114,001 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Operator: Everts Air
The flight
- Departed from: PABE Bethel AK at 11:50 am
- Destination: PANC Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 19R, 6,400 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 15 knots, gusting 23
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.57 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on September 12, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Captain Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Fo Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Cargo Handler Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo of Damage 1 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo of Damage 2 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo of Floor Widget | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Photo of Damage 3 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.