On February 6, 2025, a Bering Air Cessna Grand Caravan commuter flight from Unalakleet to Nome, Alaska, crashed into sea ice near Nome, killing all 10 people aboard. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its probable cause findings on July 30, 2026, determining that the pilot's inadequate airspeed management and improper control inputs led to an aerodynamic stall. The NTSB also found that the plane was more than 1,000 pounds over its maximum gross takeoff weight for flying in known icing conditions, a factor that reduced the aircraft's stall margin.
Further, the NTSB faulted Bering Air for "inadequate safety management, which allowed the routine operation of flights that exceeded weight limitations." The investigation revealed a chronic underreporting of weight on this and other Bering Air aircraft. Bering Air is facing multiple wrongful death lawsuits from the families of the victims, alleging the company knowingly flew an overweight plane into dangerous conditions.
The NTSB's report also criticized the pilot, Chad Antill, 34, of Nome, for his handling of the situation. Antill reportedly became overwhelmed by the combination of icing conditions, the need to adjust plans due to a temporarily closed runway, and maintaining safe speed. The plane's speed fluctuated significantly, leading to a low-speed alert and the autopilot disengaging, followed by a rapid loss of altitude and an aerodynamic stall. The NTSB recommended policy changes for the Federal Aviation Administration, including requiring certified dispatchers, installing aircraft recording systems, expanding flight load recordkeeping, and using crash-resistant flight data recorders for Part 135 airlines like Bering Air.
