Cessna 208B N1229C
8 October 2008 · Bethel, Alaska, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 8 October 2008 at about 01:06 local time, a Cessna 208B registered N1229C, operated by Grant Aviation Inc., was involved in an accident near Bethel, Alaska, United States. 18 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 01:06
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Bethel, Alaska, United States
- Nearest airport
- Bethel (PABE)
- Coordinates
- 60.7797, -161.8381
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B
- Registration
- N1229C
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Grant Aviation Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Emmonak → Bethel
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC09LA004
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
Probable cause
The failure of both pilots to maintain adequate clearance/distance from each other at the taxiway intersection to avoid a collision. Contributing to the accident was a lack of clear and concise instruction to either airplane by the ground controller to preclude them from entering the taxiway intersection at the same time.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
N411GV, a Cessna 208B, was taxiing south on Taxiway C towards the runway. A second Cessna 208B, N1229C, was exiting toward the east from the runway at Taxiway B. The ground controller told N29C, "taxi to park on the right, use caution for company traffic." The controller mistakenly thought the two airplanes were from the same company. No caution was issued to N1GV to move the right to avoid N29C. The left wingtips of each airplane collided at the intersection of Taxiways B and C. The controller did not instruct either airplane to hold or give way to the other, and the intersection was not large enough to accommodate them both at the same time. Each airplane received structural damage to their wingtips and fuselages. The FAA's Air Traffic Controller's Handbook contains instructions and phraseology for use by air traffic controllers to marshal the movement of aircraft on the airport's movement area, and that specific phraseology was not used. Following the accident, the tower manager issued corrective actions for ground operations, which included notifying airport operators of a change in taxiing procedures, training all controllers of new taxiing procedures, and additional phraseology training of the controller involved in the accident. Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 91.3, notes that the pilot-in-command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to the operation of that aircraft. The Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM), notes that although an ATC clearance is issued for taxiing purposes, it is the responsibility of the pilot to avoid collision with other aircraft.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna 208B | N1229C | Grant Aviation Inc. | Substantial |
| Cessna 208B | N411GV | Hageland Aviation Inc. | Substantial |
Other Cessna 208 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jan 2008 | Cessna 208B | Bethel, Alaska, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 27 Dec 2008 | Cessna 208B | Rock Springs, Wyoming, United States | Corporate Air | No injuries | - |
| 10 May 2008 | Cessna 208B | Ada, Michigan, United States | CSA Air Inc | No injuries | - |
| 1 Jun 2008 | Cessna 208B | Greensburg, Indiana, United States | Skydive Greensburg | No injuries | - |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Cessna 208B | La Junta, Chile | Patagonia Airlines | Fatal | 1 |
| 24 Aug 2008 | Cessna 208 | Zacapa, Guatemala | Aero Ruta Maya | Fatal | 11 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Oct 2008 | Antonovich Anton B CHALLENGER II | Chugiak, Alaska, United States | Richard H. Roiland | Fatal | 1 |
| 22 Jul 2008 | De Havilland DHC-3 | Iliamna, Alaska, United States | Rainbow King Lodge Inc | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jan 2008 | Piper PA-31-350 | Kodiak, Alaska, United States | Servant Air, Inc. | Fatal | 6 |
| 9 Oct 2008 | Cessna A185F | Kenai, Alaska, United States | Alaska Department of Public Safety | No injuries | - |
| 10 May 2008 | Cessna 172 | Chugiak, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jul 2008 | Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) SAAB 340B | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | Peninsula Airways Inc | No injuries | - |