The Bering Air flight that recently crashed in sea ice off Alaska, killing 10, was more than 1,000 pounds “over the maximum takeoff gross weight for flight into known or forecast icing conditions,” according to a new report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The commuter flight was traveling from Unalakleet to Nome when it disappeared on Feb. 6. The U.S. Coast Guard found the plane’s wreckage days later, on sea ice around 30 miles southeast of Nome.
“Post-accident examination of the airplane contents indicated that the baggage and cargo weighed approximately 798 lbs. Based on that information, the airplane’s estimated gross takeoff weight at departure was about 9,865 lbs, which was about 1,058 lbs over the maximum takeoff gross weight for flight into known or forecast icing conditions,” the NTSB said in a preliminary report this week.
The NTSB said in the report that the plane, a Textron Aviation 208B, “was equipped with a TKS ice protection system that included porous titanium panels along the leading edges of the wings, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, and wing struts.”
The NTSB said in the report that the plane, a Textron Aviation 208B, “was equipped with a TKS ice protection system that included porous titanium panels along the leading edges of the wings, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, and wing struts.”
