Beech 99 accident near King Salmon, Alaska, March 29, 2018
On March 29, 2018 at about 9:20 pm local time, a 1969 Beech 99, registered N31TN, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near King Salmon, Alaska (King Salmon airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate approach path and runway centerline during the initial landing, which resulted in a hard landing to the left of the runway and damage to the landing gear and wing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 2018 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- King Salmon, Alaska · King Salmon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 99 UNDESIGNAT, built 1969 · all 99s on the register
- Registration
- N31TN · registry record · serial U49
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, after exiting instrument meteorological conditions during a circling approach, he was "a little above" the normal glidepath; as the airplane crossed the approach end of the runway, the airplane began to sink rapidly and drift to the left. He added power to initiate a go-around, but the airplane continued to sink and landed with the left main landing gear off the left side of the runway. As the airplane became airborne again, he attempted to retract the landing gear, "but the handle was locked in place." He noticed that the left and right main landing gear extension lights were illuminated, but the nose landing gear light was not. The pilot noticed a positive rate of climb and decided to fly to an alternate airport. The pilot reported that, while en route to the alternate airport, a passenger reported that they smelled smoke, so he turned off electrical equipment. A pilot-rated passenger assisted with circuit breaker troubleshooting before turning on the battery again for communications. He instructed the pilot-rated passenger to visually examine the landing gear; the passenger reported that the left main landing gear was extended without damage and the right main landing gear was "bent back," with damage to the right flap with fuel leaking from the wing. After contacting the alternate airport's tower, the pilot reported that he declared an emergency and provided a safety brief to the passengers. He added that, at the alternate airport, he performed an instrument landing system approach, and over the approach end of the runway, he reduced power, feathered the propellers, and moved both fuel levers to fuel cutoff. During landing, the right main landing gear collapsed, the right wing settled onto the runway, and the airplane began to pull to the right. The pilot added left rudder to maintain the runway centerline and the airplane came to rest on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Heading/course › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,056 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days; 69 in the last 30 days; 3,918 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 29, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 39,673.3 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 21, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 10,400 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 12,543 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 15,056 hours total
- Operator: Lake Clark Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: DLG Dillingham AK
- Destination: PNP Pilot Point AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12, 8,901 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.52 inHg
- Observation at 9:30 pm from PAII, 38 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA18CA187.