What happened
A twin-engine airplane was performing a taxi flight from Anaktuvuk Pass toward Barrow. While the aircraft was on its final approach to Barrow Airport, it encountered severe icing conditions. During this phase of flight, the plane experienced a stall and impacted the ground short of the runway, subsequently catching fire. The impact resulted in one fatality and left the passenger with serious injuries. The aircraft was completely destroyed during the accident.
Findings
Investigations into the crash identified that the primary cause was an aerodynamic stall occurring during the final approach. This was precipitated by the pilot's decision to continue a visual flight rules (VFR) flight despite encountering adverse weather. Several contributing factors were noted regarding the aircraft's condition and operation:
- The presence of icing conditions, specifically including freezing rain and sleet.
- Improperly installed deice boots on the horizontal stabilizer.
- Errors in the use or management of anti-icing and de-icing equipment.
- Incorrect application of flaps by the pilot.
- Maintenance deficiencies, including improperly installed flight control surfaces and inadequate inspections by maintenance personnel.
- Operational failures, such as insufficient flight training procedures and inadequate oversight regarding company equipment and regulations.