Thu Mar 20 00:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Alaska Plane Crash: Overweight Plane, Icing Conditions Investigated
**JUNEAU, Alaska (March 20, 2025)** – A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reveals that a Bering Air commuter plane that crashed in western Alaska on February 6th, killing all 10 people on board, was significantly overweight. The Cessna Caravan was approximately 1,058 pounds over its maximum takeoff weight for conditions where icing was forecast.
The NTSB’s Alaska region director, Clint Johnson, cautioned that the overweight condition is just one aspect of an ongoing investigation, emphasizing that a final report determining the probable cause could take over a year. The crash, one of Alaska’s deadliest this century, occurred during a flight from Unalakleet to Nome. Contact was lost about 30 miles from Nome.
The report indicates that the plane’s estimated gross weight at departure was 9,865 pounds – exceeding the maximum allowable takeoff weight of 8,807 pounds for flights in icing conditions. Investigators are examining whether this excess weight, coupled with forecasted icing and reported snow and freezing rain in Nome, contributed to the accident. They are also scrutinizing the information relayed to the pilot regarding weather conditions and the availability of de-icing fluid. The pilot reportedly stated the de-icing fluid tank was full, despite a ground crew member offering to refill it.
The NTSB report also highlights the plane’s altitude and airspeed. The autopilot disengaged at 3,100 feet, and the aircraft’s speed dropped significantly shortly before the final satellite tracking data registered at 200 feet. Air traffic control had informed the pilot that the Nome runway would be closed for de-icing for about 15 minutes, suggesting a possible connection to the timeline of events.
Aviation accident lawyer and pilot Whitney Power Wilson stressed the importance of considering icing conditions and aircraft weight, especially for smaller planes operating in areas prone to icing. The wreckage was discovered the following day on a drifting ice floe. The investigation is continuing.
First Piper 