Pilatus PC-12/45 accident near Show Low, Arizona, August 18, 2004
On August 18, 2004 at about 11:45 am local time, a Pilatus PC-12/45, registered N562NA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Show Low, Arizona (Show Low airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the collision with an elk during the landing roll. The dark night lighting conditions was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2004 · about 11:45 am local time
- Place
- Show Low, Arizona · Show Low · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pilatus PC-12/45 · all PC-12/45s on the register
- Registration
- N562NA · registry record · serial 174
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with an elk during the landing roll. Upon touchdown, the pilot saw one elk run across the runway. Another elk then ran onto the runway and stopped directly in front of the airplane. The elk impacted the nose of the airplane and then collided with the leading edge of the left wing. The pilot noted no mechanical discrepancies with the airplane prior to the accident. In the airport facility directory it states that deer, elk, and antelope are in the vicinity of the runway. After dark, it recommended a clearing pass. The operator stated that the company did not instruct its pilots to make a low pass over the runway prior to landing. The company safety officer felt that this created an unsafe situation due to the high performance of the airplane. According to the United States Naval Observatory, approximately 3 percent of the moon's visible disk was illuminated the morning of the accident. The sun rose at 0545. The airport manager reported that a meeting was held on the day prior to the accident regarding the installation of a higher fence to assist in preventing wildlife from wandering onto the airport surface area. The project was approved, and its suspected completion is in 3 months. The current fence system consists of three fences. The outermost fence is electrical and contains upper and lower wires. The second fence is about 4 feet tall and consists of four barbed wires. The innermost fence is a single strand electrical barbed wire. The electrical fence was operating normally during a post accident check and no breaks in the fence were located. The last recorded animal strike at the airport was about 5 years prior to the accident.
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: 2,118 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W PT6A-66 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Native American Air Ambulance INC
The flight
- Departed from: IWA Phoenix AZ
- Destination: SOW Show Low AZ
- Runway 6
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 am from KINW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.