The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan operating as Bering Air Flight 45 was similar to the one shown here. [FLYING file photo/U.S. Air Force]
Key Takeaways:
A Cessna 208B Caravan that crashed in Alaska, killing all 10 on board, was found by the NTSB to be significantly overloaded at the time of the accident.
The aircraft's estimated takeoff weight of 9,865 pounds exceeded the maximum allowable gross weight for flight into known or forecast icing conditions (8,807 pounds) by over 1,000 pounds.
During the flight, which occurred in weather conducive to icing, the aircraft's airspeed dropped below the minimum 95 knots required for operations in icing conditions, before the autopilot disengaged and data ceased at 70 knots.
The NTSB is continuing its investigation, including a detailed review of the aircraft's center of gravity location and its role in the crash.
A Cessna 208B Caravan that crashed in Alaska in February, killing all 10 on board, was overloaded at the time of the accident, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The aircraft was operated by Bering Air, a charter carrier that offers scheduled service from 32 villages in western Alaska operating out of Nome, Kotzebue, and Unalakleet.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
