Plane that crashed and killed 10 in Alaska was more than 1K pounds overweight, NTSB says
Plane that crashed and killed 10 in Alaska was more than 1K pounds overweight, NTSB says
Show Caption
Hide Caption
Multiple recent US plane crashes investigated by NTSB
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating multiple deadly plane crashes, including ones in Alaska, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
Fox - Seattle
A small airplane that crashed off the Alaska coast last month, killing all 10 people on board, was hundreds of pounds overweight before taking off, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a preliminary report released Wednesday.
The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft operated by Bering Air was making a 150-mile trip from Unalakleet, Alaska, to Nome, Alaska, a regularly scheduled commuter flight that traverses the Norton Sound, when it crashed on Feb. 6. The plane was initially reported missing but was found atop a "large floating icepack" the next day, according to the report.
Federal and state agencies launched a massive search over land and sea amid challenging weather conditions before the wreckage was discovered 34 miles southeast of Nome. Nine passengers and one pilot were killed in the crash.
The report noted that the icepack, subject to the tidal ocean currents, continuously moved about five to 10 miles per day, complicating search and rescue efforts. Light snow and moderate icing were also observed around the time of the crash, according to the report.
A post-accident examination of the plane's contents revealed that baggage and cargo weighed about 798 pounds, contributing to the plane's overall takeoff weight of roughly 9,865, the report stated. The estimated gross takeoff weight was about 1,058 pounds over the maximum for flights into icing conditions, and more than 800 pounds over the limit for any flight.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing and will likely be a year or longer before the final report is released, according to the NTSB.
"A senior NTSB aerospace engineer will conduct a detailed review of the airplane's performance as part of the investigation, including an evaluation of the airplane's center of gravity location," the report added.
What went wrong? Investigators probe landing gear collapse in fiery Toronto plane crash
Alaska plane disappeared from radar during commuter flight
The Bering Air flight was traveling from Unalakleet, a village of about 700 residents, to Nome, a town of less than 4,000 residents, when it was reported missing at around 4 p.m. local time on Feb. 6, according to the Alaska Department of Public Safety.
Live flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 showed that the plane's last known position was over the water, nearly 40 minutes after leaving Unalakleet, which is typically less than an hour's flight from Nome. U.S. Coast Guard officials said the plane had dropped off the radar after experiencing a rapid loss of altitude and speed over the Norton Sound.
Authorities said the plane did not emit an emergency distress signal that would be triggered by a crash or exposure to seawater. The plane's disappearance sparked a massive search by federal and state agencies.
Search and rescue efforts had been hampered by poor weather and low visibility but a Coast Guard helicopter located the downed plane on Feb. 7. Authorities were able to recover all the bodies from the wreckage, which were then transported to the State Medical Examiner's Office in Anchorage for autopsies.
What is mixed-used airspace? After 15,000 close calls at one airport, FAA takes action.
Recent aviation incidents in the U.S.
The crash in Alaska came amid heightened scrutiny of air safety in the U.S. Though experts have maintained that aviation remains extremely safe, recent incidents have raised concerns about flying.
NTSB investigators are still probing two deadly crashes that occurred in late January: the midair collision of an American Airlines passenger plane and U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people; and a medical jet crash in Philadelphia that killed seven.
Other incidents have also made headlines, including a Delta Air Lines regional jet that flipped upside down upon arrival at Canada's Toronto Pearson Airport in February.
Later that month, two plane crashes were reported in Arizona. Two private jets collided at the Scottsdale Airport in Arizona, killing one person and injuring four on Feb. 10. On Feb. 19, two single-engine planes collided outside the Marana Regional Airport, killing two people.
And last week, an American Airlines plane caught fire at Denver International Airport. Six crew members and 172 passengers were forced to evacuate by slides, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, Eve Chen, and Nathan Diller, USA TODAY; Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
2 hours ago
NTSB finds fuel leak and improperly installed parts in the engine of an airliner that caught fire
A fuel leak and several improperly installed parts were found inside the engine of an American Airlines plane that caught fire after the plane landed in Denver in March, according to a report released Thursday. The National Transportation Safety Board said one part inside the right engine of the Boeing 737-800 was loose and had been installed in the wrong direction and that fuel was leaking from the fitting of another part that was also fastened incorrectly. The preliminary findings don't identify the cause of the fire because the NTSB won't reach that conclusion until after it completes its investigation likely sometime next year. But former NTSB and FAA investigator Jeff Guzzetti said the problems investigators found in the engine appear to be the source of the fuel that caught fire. 'To me, it looks like improper maintenance in the right engine leading to a fuel leak,' Guzzetti said after reading the NTSB report. Photos and videos posted online showed billowing smoke and passengers standing on the plane's wing after it taxied to a gate at Denver International Airport. Twelve people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The plane carried 172 passengers and six crew. The NTSB said gate workers extinguished the fire within a minute even before firefighters arrived and doused lingering hot spots on the plane. American Airlines said in a statement that 'the safety of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we are cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation.' Pictures included in the NTSB report show streaks on the outside of the engine from the leaking fuel, and airport video showed a trail of fluid leaking from under the right engine as the airplane taxied to the gate. Guzzetti said he believes those streaks were probably made while the plane was flying. After it landed, he said, the fuel likely pooled inside the engine and caught fire. The American Airlines flight had left Colorado Springs Airport and was bound for Dallas-Fort Worth when it diverted to Denver on March 13 after the crew reported high engine vibrations. The plane's right engine caught fire after it arrived at the gate. Passengers started yelling 'fire' and 'smoke' shortly after the plane pulled up to the gate, and flight attendants saw smoke beginning to fill the cabin, according to the NTSB report. The flight attendants tried calling the flight crew and knocking on the cockpit door, but got no answer. So the report said the flight attendants initiated the evacuation. Passengers were able to use the jetway at the front left door and the escape slide at the right rear door as well as the left over-wing doors to evacuate. But the left rear door wouldn't open, and maintenance personnel discovered afterward that the escape slide had jammed in the door. The faulty slide was sent to the manufacturer for further investigation.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
American Airlines plane that caught fire had engine parts installed incorrectly, NTSB finds
The American Airlines flight that caught fire soon after taking off from Denver International Airport in March had several parts installed incorrectly and fuel leaks, according to a preliminary report released Thursday. The Dallas-bound aircraft had one loose part inside the right engine installed in the wrong direction and fuel leaking from the fitting of another part that was also fastened incorrectly, according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report. Soon after the plane took off, the crew noticed issues with the right engine, the report said. American Airlines Passengers Evacuate Flight On Wing Of Plane After Landing In Georgia, Video Shows "The captain noted high engine vibration indications for the right engine," the report stated, while the crew discussed whether they needed to divert before contacting American Airlines dispatchers. They landed safely, but soon after arriving at a gate, passengers and crew members noticed fire and smoke filling the cabin. Images and video showed passengers evacuating the aircraft and standing on the wings of the plane. Read On The Fox News App "One of the flight attendants tried calling the flight crew" while another "knocked on the cockpit door to alert the flight crew," the report said. The NTSB report also showed streaks on the outside of the engine from the leaking fuel. The plane was towed to a hangar for examination. Delta Passengers In Orlando Evacuate Plane Due To Engine Fire During an inspection of the damage, investigators saw that the plane "exhibited heat/smoke/burn indications near the right engine nacelle, right wing, right side of the fuselage aft of the wing, the right main landing gear, and the right main landing gear wheel well," the report said. In addition, "the lockwire of a fuel fitting on the variable stator vane (VSV)" was loose and installed in the incorrect direction, in addition to other issues. Further examination of the engines found that one fan blade platform was fractured, according to the report. Another part of the plane that controls airflow through the turbine's compressor was found to be "incorrectly fastened and secured … allowing fuel to leak from the fitting." American Airlines said 172 passengers and six crew members were on board at the time of the incident. The airplane had "substantial damage" while 12 passengers and the six crew members sustained minor injuries, according to the report. Click To Get The Fox News App Fox News Digital has reached out to American article source: American Airlines plane that caught fire had engine parts installed incorrectly, NTSB finds
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
NTSB finds fuel leak and improperly installed parts in the engine of an airliner that caught fire
A fuel leak and several improperly installed parts were found inside the engine of an American Airlines plane that caught fire after the plane landed in Denver in March, according to a report released Thursday. The National Transportation Safety Board said one part inside the right engine of the Boeing 737-800 was loose and had been installed in the wrong direction and that fuel was leaking from the fitting of another part that was also fastened incorrectly. The preliminary findings don't identify the cause of the fire because the NTSB won't reach that conclusion until after it completes its investigation likely sometime next year. But former NTSB and FAA investigator Jeff Guzzetti said the problems investigators found in the engine appear to be the source of the fuel that caught fire. 'To me, it looks like improper maintenance in the right engine leading to a fuel leak,' Guzzetti said after reading the NTSB report. Photos and videos posted online showed billowing smoke and passengers standing on the plane's wing after it taxied to a gate at Denver International Airport. Twelve people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The plane carried 172 passengers and six crew. The NTSB said gate workers extinguished the fire within a minute even before firefighters arrived and doused lingering hot spots on the plane. American Airlines said in a statement that 'the safety of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we are cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation.' Pictures included in the NTSB report show streaks on the outside of the engine from the leaking fuel, and airport video showed a trail of fluid leaking from under the right engine as the airplane taxied to the gate. Guzzetti said he believes those streaks were probably made while the plane was flying. After it landed, he said, the fuel likely pooled inside the engine and caught fire. The American Airlines flight had left Colorado Springs Airport and was bound for Dallas-Fort Worth when it diverted to Denver on March 13 after the crew reported high engine vibrations. The plane's right engine caught fire after it arrived at the gate. Passengers started yelling 'fire' and 'smoke' shortly after the plane pulled up to the gate, and flight attendants saw smoke beginning to fill the cabin, according to the NTSB report. The flight attendants tried calling the flight crew and knocking on the cockpit door, but got no answer. So the report said the flight attendants initiated the evacuation. Passengers were able to use the jetway at the front left door and the escape slide at the right rear door as well as the left over-wing doors to evacuate. But the left rear door wouldn't open, and maintenance personnel discovered afterward that the escape slide had jammed in the door. The faulty slide was sent to the manufacturer for further investigation. The country has seen a recent spate of aviation disasters and close calls stoking fears about air travel even though flying remains a very safe mode of transportation.
