Bering Air Flight 445 – Norton Sound Crash
Date of Incident: February 6, 2025
Location: Norton Sound, Alaska (32 mi east of Nome)
🧭 What Happened
Flight 445 was a scheduled commuter service from Unalakleet to Nome, Alaska. The Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX crashed into drifting sea ice in Norton Sound after a rapid loss of altitude and speed. All 10 onboard — 9 passengers and 1 pilot — were killed. The aircraft was found the next day, upright but severely damaged.
✈️ Aircraft Details
Flight Number: 8E445 / BRG445
Aircraft Type: Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX
Registration: N321BA
Departure: Unalakleet Airport (PAUN)
Destination: Nome Airport (PAOM)
Fatalities: All 10 onboard
Survivors: 0
🔍 Key Factors
The aircraft was significantly overweight — 1,058 lbs over the limit for icing conditions. It encountered known icing en route and slowed to unsafe airspeeds. The autopilot disengaged, and the aircraft stalled. No distress call was received. The crash occurred during a holding pattern while waiting for runway deicing at Nome.
📆 Timeline of Events
- 23:36 UTC – Departure from Unalakleet (Runway 33)
- 23:49 UTC – Reaches cruising altitude of 8,000 ft
- 00:11 UTC – Begins descent to 6,000 ft
- 00:14 UTC – Advised to slow due to runway closure
- 00:16 UTC – Cleared to descend to 4,000 ft
- 00:19 UTC – Autopilot disengages at 99 knots
- 00:20 UTC – Final ADS-B ping at 1,325 ft
- 00:20:17 UTC – Satellite ping at 200 ft
- 00:20:18 UTC – Low altitude alert issued; no response
🎙️ Cockpit Voice & Flight Data
“Slowing down a little bit.” — Pilot to ATC
“Airspeed’s dropping fast…” — Final cockpit entry
The CVR captured routine descent communications and autopilot disengagement. No distress call was made. The CVR and FDR were recovered from the wreckage on the ice floe.
⚙️ Aircraft Systems & Failures
- Gross takeoff weight: 9,865 lbs (1,058 lbs over icing limit)
- Known icing conditions present over Norton Sound
- Autopilot disengaged at 99 knots
- Stall occurred at ~70 knots; no recovery
- ELT disconnected on impact; signal restored manually
🛡️ Aftermath and Reforms
- All 10 victims recovered by February 9
- NTSB launched full investigation; preliminary report released March 19
- Focus on dispatch procedures and weight compliance
- Prayer vigils held in Nome and Unalakleet
- Bering Air resumed operations with revised protocols