NTSB Preliminary Report Pilatus PC-12 Beaufort NC 

Sad moment for the Beaufort community. I was the skydive pilot there at KMRH during the 2021 season. During my bathroom brakes I talked to the pilot and his son when ever he was with him and he always allowed me to look inside the cockpit it was a beauty compared to the skydive 182 I was flying at the time. He was a very professional pilot and flew to Beaufort a lot. Its a huge shame what happened.

Having flown the PC-12 as part of our corporate fleet , this accident is beyond comprehension. This aircraft is very easy to fly and in the years that I flew it up North I never was confused by it's handling characteristics. We received very thorough annual re-currency training including stalls and were respectful of it's stall characteristics which could be extreme if held in a stall forcefully. To stall/spin this aircraft is just hard to believe.

I was a student with the boys, and I can’t thank you enough for the info, it’s very in depth and evaluates much things with the help of your aviation knowledge. Thank you.

Juan - What you do in sharing your experience & wisdom is a blessing to SO many, whether they be pilots or simply aviation hobbyists like me Thank You - Godspeed !

what a crying shame all the way around. Thanks for posting these reports. I am a helicopter guy about to start an EMS job (two pilot operation). I have simulator training scheduled soon. These types of videos are a reminder safety is paramount and could very well be saving lives. As we used to say in the Army, "keep the greasy side down." Thanks again

Another excellent report, thank you Juan. That stall break is pretty spicy, but the auto stick pusher recovery looks incredible on the PC-12. Another very sad loss for all involved and associated. RIP.

Bless your heart Juan. You are amazing in your knowledge of flying and flight characteristics. I very much enjoy your 'evals' and inputs with regard for the 'what happened' part of the accidents. Please keep up the good work. Live long and prosper.

As always great reporting and break down Juan, done with class and empathy.

I'm not a pilot and I don't recall exactly how I came upon your channel... possibly when Kobe passed away.. anyhow, I really enjoy your videos and detailed explanations on your posts. Even a non-pilot can follow stuff for the most part. Thanks and keep up the good work!

Thanks Juan...love the information and discussion.

Juan, Thank YOU. ALWAYS up-to-date and thorough

Thank you kindly for that report. As always I admire your attention to details. RIP to the seven souls aboard.

Great job Juan. Very informative.

Thank You Juan for another excellent video💖

I hope should my grandchildren become pilots they will treasure this wealth of content you guys are compiling Thankyou so much it so comforting to know that it is there.

I just read the cockpit transcript from the NTSB report. It’s a tough read knowing that the pilot’s son was the student co-pilot, but I would love to hear your take on the newly released information!

Thank you for the update Juan.

Jaun please don’t let this go to your head ( I know it won’t ) This is such a great video report and you are a Star 🌟 Id say rock star 💫 big time You give us reports in great detail and easy to relate to it and understand even for non pilots. I have nothing but great praise for you and all the work that you do to help us understand how we can make things safer by watching your great video’s Best wishes to you always From Las Vegas Craig This video is another 10 out of 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you so much Juan

Excellent Report. Thank you.

So sad ! You really make it easy for non pilots to understand. Great job 👍🏽

Thank you for this. I knew two of the people on this flight and my wife went to high school and college with one of the passengers. Very sad loss for the local community.

Excellent report and analysis. Factual, comprehensive, non-emotional, and data driven. Thank You for your work.

Thank You for keeping us informed.

The pilots side pusher switch disconnects the clutch from the servo so it removes the push entirely. The copilots switch disconnects the motor of the servo so there is still some resistance in the elevator motion when it’s disconnected on that side. It’s a momentary switch so if it’s released it will reengage, it’s similar to a cws for the ap.

Such a sad story. Thank you for covering it about well.

Great work, explained very well. Great information. Love your videos Juan, Thanks for your professional input!

Thank you for sharing about this

Excellent report, thank you for the update!

As always you do an excellent job Juan. Great job!

Excellent, thanks for sharing.

Just spoke with NTSB, here's the L3LDR Data recorder used in this aircraft. This is a game changer: www.l3harris.com/all-capabilities/lightweight-data-recorder-ldr NOTE #1: Pitot tubes located under wing, separate from AOA vanes. NOTE#2: As stated in the manual, stick forces noted in lb/ft of torque. I do not know the lever arm length and thus actual stick force.

Just to clarify Juan, the pitot tubes are separate from the AOA probes, the pitot tubes are below the AOA probes/vanes. Great video

My condolences and prayers

The caution lights for your probes being off do not automatically come on when you take off if you have left them off. You do not get a caution for quite sometime after takeoff. I am not sure if is altitude related, but when I have not turned them on it reminds me usually about 6,000 - 8,000 feet. However, after landing when taxing and when I turn them off so they cool and I can get the covers on right after shutdown, many times I get the caution message.

I am going with the runaway trim angle for now, I have experienced this at low altitude, and It came on fast

So sad it took out a large part of a family and some young friends. Thanks again Juan.

Great video. Thanks 🇺🇸

The NTSB is so frustrating. How much longer would it have taken to give us a preliminary report to include a quick look at the LDR data? Now it's going to be 2 years and most will have forgotten all about this incident, and hopefully there's not another one while we are waiting. RIP to all involved.

Vary well said the PC12 is my dream aircraft .

As a non-pilot you opined my very thoughts, what if either of the pilots inadvertently disabled the stick shaker, which would also explain why there were no responses to ATC. It appears the the PTT button is very close to the shaker disable switch. Then if the flaps got stuck at the end.... we'll, those are my thoughts. Thank you Juan for all that you do, I have learned so much from you! Paul Sanders

Excellent, as usual..

Thank you very much!

If you don't do the pusher test after start, you'll be presented with an Amber "PUSHER" CAS message which is hard to miss. I used to instruct in the PC-12 and did pusher demos. Try as you may, the pusher will win (unless someone was panic holding the pusher interrupt). It sounds, from my armchair, reminiscent of of the TEB Learjet crew that was behind from before they started engine(s).

I did a lot of work on PC-12s. They’re hard to get to a stall point if your pusher is running, but if you do stall it stalls hard

Thank you, Juan

Thank you Juan.

Looks like another crash where the PIC was so far behind the airplane he couldn't even grasp the static wick's. May they rest in peace and hopefully you talking about these types of crashes will help some pilot by teaching them to stay ahead of their plane or to stop and ask for help when they need it.

Juan, thanks for your breakdowns. Has there been any updates on the midair at Centennial several months back? You covered an initial in it. Thanks again for your in depth work.

pushing the anti stall disable switch instead of the ptt when trying to contact tower maybe, are those buttons as close together as the diagram showed?

THANK YOU!

Whatever happened after the zoom climb, I am particularly interested in trying to figure out what caused the zoom climb in the first place. While I am keeping an open mind, this actually reminds me of your video about the Cessna 340 near San Diego (N7022G), where the pilot was apparently distracted with figuring out the approach, then lost control. I think that the same kind of thing MIGHT have caused the loss of control of the TBM near Buffalo in 2020 (N965DM). While some think that was hypoxia-related, I almost completely rule that out and think that the pilot there simply got behind the airplane with the very late descent, went heads-down trying to program the approach, and lost control while distracted trying to sort out the approach programming. If all three of these have a similar cause of not maintaining control while trying to scramble to program an approach, it's a sober reminder to ALWAYS aviate first while trying to navigate. RIP to all in these three fatal accidents.

The preliminary report is also out on the Manchester NH accident from 12/10/21

Juan- the DE-ICING “CAWS” light will only be on when OAT is below 12 Celsius, even with the probe heat in OFF position. This is only for the NG model.

Juan ... I was amazed at the short duration of the stick-shaker prior to the stick-pusher activation in the demo. It shows just how quick corrective action needs to happen to get you out of the mess in a small airplane.

Given proximity of Stick Pusher interrupt switch & PTT sw, and prior trouble transmitting the pilot could have mixed up those two switches.

thank you Juan

More than I know about this situation…thanks….

I had not heard of this. @blancolirio This is my backyard essentially. I am in eastern North Carolina, and (PGV) is our local airport. If i can be of use for future stories in this area please let me know. Thank you for all your great work and teaching

A sad day indeed, one great review as well really shed some light on some possibilities. The PC 12 is an outstanding aircraft and unfortunately we may never know what went on in that cockpit that day.

Juan, maybe talk about this possibility: Pilot had an incapacitating medical emergency, at the first 'bobble' in adsb info, student pilot son in a panic Holds Down on the trim control on the yoke, attempting to call ATC, aircraft climbs quickly to 4,700 feet and stalls....

As a recreational pilot, I sometimes think I am lucky that my wife stopped me doing IFR and complex aircraft, so it is just VFR for me in a simple C172 and, even then, I only take one passenger at a time. Super, super cautious! Cheers.

CVR transcript was released on the NTSB docket

Just FYI, PC-12 Technician here, the AOA or angle of attack vane and pitot tube are not the same and while in the same general area are not connected in any way.

I week of so ago there was an Airplane the made and emergency landing on I-77 out of Charlotte, NC and was run over by a Tractor trailer. Sad. Maybe you would be able to look into that and make your advice for such emergency landings on busy Highways!

I hope we get more information from the FDR - that climb to 4,700 ft., followed by a spin all the way down into the water just doesn't make sense. Thanks Juan!!

Excellent.

Condolences to the family of members lost. Of 3000 hrs, how many in Pilatus? Interesting details about the temp/alt difference combined with moa & cigor altitude issues. Thanks as always Juan!

Wouldn't the Go/No Go decision for the operation of the stick pusher be based on the approved MEL for the certificate/aircraft combination?

Did someone press the pusher interrupt thinking it was the PTT when they didnt answer the call about entering active restricted airspace?? Would that be possible?

Thank you again Juan, Obviously, in these loss of life situations, we have to be even more cautious in speculation ! You Sir, as always, remain the consimate professional, as always considerate of the families ! Having said that, and still having only preliminary information, I can't, and won't begin to venture any kind of speculative guesses myself ! There is just not enough factual information yet to begin to piece anything together ! Looking forward to seeing the upcoming FAA reports. Like you have stated Juan, let's hope that the data recording system will shed more detailed information on the accident ! While we all certainly hate to see any loss of life accidents, your detailed analysis may help to prevent similar accidents from occuring in the future Juan ! Please continue to do this very valuable work Sir !

Interesting situation, this pilot had reasonable flying experience, instrument rated, let us assume that he would have had good training, and the aircraft is docile enough to handle, so it would be hard to lose control. However, why did the pilot penetrated restricted area and had to be alerted by ATC before he made a move to get out of the danger? What caused the pilot to get disoriented? Or did the pilot get disoriented because a icing gave false instrument readings, even with the Pitot deicing system on? We have to sit it out until the NTSB provides its conclusion. keep us posted, Juan, you are doing a great job!

great presentation...

Doesn't sound like a 3,000 hour pilot was flying the airplane. How many were on the PC-12 and what kind of student was he when he was taking instruction? R.I.P. to all involved ... Also wonder if the optional video was installed and functioning?

the PTT switch right next to the stick shaker switch seems worrisome. In a panic situation would he be trying to use the radio and disable the anti-stall mechanism?

The AOA’s are not mounted on the Pitot tube. Pitot tubes are mounted under each wing.

Thanks!

In your PC-12 vid from Chamberlain, South Dakota you thought that in less than 2 years the FINAL report would be out. It's been 2 1/2 years and nothing so far. Odd......

Juan, love your videos. If you ever get a chance to go to “Beau fert” (Beau as in beautiful) (fert as in fertilizer) not Bowfort. 😊. Please go and visit the old south with all the old oaks and moss covered branches. You can come to Charleston and visit all of us in the fastest growing county in SC. BEST! 🎉👍

Thank you Juan

Fascinating as always.. and I’ve never heard of a light data recorder if someone can elaborate the differences thanks

could also be an issue where the pilot was panicked and hit the pusher override instead of the radio button in an attempt to make a distress call - thus he might not have reacted to the stall because he either expected the pusher to kick in without realizing he had manually overridden or because the realization that the pusher wasn't kicking in perpetuated his panic.

Thanks for another great analysis! One question, though: Was it really a good idea to put the Pusher Interrupter Switch right next to the Push-To-Talk switch on the yoke of the PC-12?

I'm not a pilot, but find your analysis of these incidences and insight into possible causes really informative. I notice the PTT button (Push To Talk ?) is located right beside the Pusher Interrupt button on the Yoke. Could a distracted pilot be unintentinally pressing the Pusher Interrupt button instead of the PTT button in trying to contact ATC?

Godspeed.

THEY MAY have pressed the interrupter switch accidentally when they meant to press the PTT in a panic.?

Are there consequence for flying over that restricted area?

Why is the stick pusher override switch right next to the PTT switch? Could they have inadvertently grabbed both?

The final report is out will you be posting an updated video?

A very sad ending to a fine aircraft's "last" flight Juan! Any chance you may be putting together a Tribute video to Mriya? -Bob...

If the aircraft was inverted and the stick pusher was capable of being activated, would that cause a elevator input that would cause them to climb rapidly with any remaining airspeed or a manual power increase? Non pilot here, but curious to know if this scenario is even possible.

I'm confused about icing, could you possibly do a video about icing. Like where on the aircraft icing effects the flight. Also how much ice are you talking about. I assume most small aircraft don't have de icing capabilities. On aircraft with de icing equipment is there a warning system alarm? Any information on icing would be appreciated, thanks

Is it possible he entered IMC and experienced sensory disorientation? Possibly icing of systems.. An alternative explanation would be a medical event in the pilot. Question - is it not possible to automate the activation of Pitot heating?

Very glad to hear there was a data recorder and that it was recovered. The ATC communications do hint at the pilot being behind things for much of the flight, but it's a large leap from that to the dramatic apparent loss of control. I hope we can learn from this tragedy beyond the need to be well prepared for every flight, even a short, familiar hop.

This happened about 15 miles from my house. The community around this incident has really come together.

Hi Juan. The pitot tubes on the PC-12 are under the wing. Not the AOA probe. So sad about this loss.

Juan does NTSB do medical research including a complete autopsy ?

I know we don’t know yet. What was the student pilot doing during the last 5 minutes of the flight. Do you think the PIC was letting the 20 hour student pilot fly the aircraft at that time ? What do you think about crash recorders automatically uploaded the the cloud. That would make a whole lot of info available at the beginning of an investigation.

I’m a bit confused regarding the possibility of icing. The report showed the temperature and dew point to be 7 degrees C and 6 degrees C respectively, both well above freezing. Would there really be a chance of icing? Otherwise a very thorough and informative video.

That wx temp and dew point are also icing conditions.

I don't fly high performance aircraft, but in or near IMC and choppy airspace, I can't imagine not taking full advantage of a flight director. Looking at the flight path and altitude(s), it's pretty clear the plane was under manual control. Although the aircraft ultimately appears to have stalled, the chain of events appears to be the pilot getting behind the aircraft and losing situational awareness.