Casa C-212 N502FS

Summary

On 18 December 1998 at about 19:10 local time, a Casa C-212 registered N502FS was involved in an accident near McGrath, Alaska, United States. 20 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 December 1998 at 19:10

Classification

Accident

Location

McGrath, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Nixon Fork Mine Airstrip

Coordinates

63.6102, -154.7807

Aircraft

Casa C-212

Registration

N502FS

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Anchorage

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC99LA017

Nobody was injured.

The flightcrew's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. A factor associated with the accident was a crosswind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.