Just breaking now
17 people in a Platypus? Even if half of them were kids, that’s some load!
Very sad if first reports are accurate.
CNN is now covering this story live and SADLY they are reporting that the a/c “was loaded with children” headed for a Ski vacation
Something ain’t right here. News says no fatalities on the ground and 17 aboard a Pilatus. 
17 people in a Pilatus? What a tragedy. I am betting they were part 91. From my days flying private owners they would stack anything and anybody into their plane and didn’t give a damn.
Supposedly they were on a skiing trip and I can’t help to think that maybe with all of their gear they were simply overloaded.
I do not think it is physically possible to load 17 people in a pilatus. I hope this is a mistake. what a shame if there were a lot of innocent children on board
I agree with you, but I have had owners reqest to stick 2 kids per seat and some in the aisle before, in a King Air. The Pilatus has a bit of a larger cabin and with that Cargo door I know they can configure more cargo. I have never flown one, but can not imagine it handling an aft cg to well.
Tragic, what a waste of young lives. They don’t have 17 seats do they? WTF was the pilot thinking. The article said high bank “Turns” and nose dive. Stall/Spin due to the excessive load? Maybe too slow. Just speculating, but jeez this one is sad.
EDITMax payload with full fuel 1189lbs, although doubtful the fuel was maxed out for relatively short flight/range. Still add in some ski gear and adults. May have been grossly over weight. Again speculation.
What is absolutely amazing, if it is true about the load, is that he got off the ground in the first place and climbed to FL250. Just can’t be true. Any chance it as the B190 that was scheduled to go in there? Unbelievable
Octamom?
Sounds like about six more than legal for a PC-12 (2+9 is max in commuter config and I doubt this aircraft had the plain commuter interior). Not sure how you make the typical two plus six seat executive configuration work with that many people. It could be hard to keep that many children in seats and not up moving around, depending on how many adults were supervising. An approach to the airport, something interesting visible out one window, and everyone is up to look, shifting the cg at the worst possible time. Horrible tragedy for many families.
anyone here got -12 time? how far aft does the CG get when you burn fuel? or does it? this could be a CG problem
I’m hoping that the initial reports are in error as to passengers, especially as it pertains to most of them possibly being children.
Normal max load for a PC12 is 9+2. There are reports that there may have been as many as 12 children aboard, only 3 or 4 adults and unknown crew.
Very, very bad situation.
My son does, I’m waiting to hear from him.
At first, I was so scared and shocked because initial reports from CNN were saying a twin-engine plane with fatalities. I pray for each and every person and their families that were on that plane.
I used to fly a PC-12 (about 120 hrs.). I can’t imagine how one could fit 17 people into the aircraft, even if they were all midgets. It would require removing all seats, creating an empty cargo hold. Until initial NTSB report or other confirmations I would question the number of passengers.
Can’t remember CG data.
This is really, really sad.
Wow. Sad 
. When I saw a link to an article and they said 17 passengers, and single engine turboprop, the first and only thing I could think of was the Cessna Caravan.
This plane was a /45 model - max takeoff 9,921#, makes the report of 17 occupants even more difficult to believe, even if most were children.