Pilatus Aircraft Ltd PC-12/47E

Aircraft Manufacturer: Pilatus Aircraft Ltd

Model: PC-12/47E

About the Pilatus Aircraft Ltd PC-12/47E

The Pilatus PC-12 is a pressurized, single-engine turboprop built for utility and business flying by Pilatus Aircraft of Stans, Switzerland. Certified in 2008, the PC-12/47E is the variant marketed as the PC-12 NG. Among Pilatus types on the U.S. civil registry, the NG holds the largest active fleet, with more than 800 currently registered. The type accounts for about 63% of Pilatus's active U.S. fleet.

About 80% of all U.S. registry records ever held for the 47E remain active. Of the type's 8 recorded accidents, 4 involved a fatality, and across its FAA-registration exposure the accident rate works out to about 1.1 per 1,000 aircraft-years. Measured against a peer cohort of the same aircraft type, engine class and seat range, the model ranks at about one in seven by accident rate, a lower rate than most comparable types.

Aircraft Details

Aircraft Details
Manufacturer Pilatus Aircraft Ltd
Manufacturer Serial Number 7090553
Model PC-12/47E
Category Land
Aircraft Type Fixed wing single engine
Weight Class 1 (Up to 12,499 lbs gross take off weight)
Engine Type Turbo-prop
Number of Engines 1 engine
Number of Seats 11 seats
Share your captured photos of the Pilatus Aircraft Ltd PC-12/47E, receive attribution and a link. Contact us.

Safety Analysis

Composition of NTSB accident records for this model in general-aviation operations (FAR Part 91 and 137), based on NTSB data as of May 1, 2026. It's a breakdown of recorded accidents rather than a safety rating, and types with significant non-GA operation (such as Part 135) may be under-represented.

100%
Identity Confirmed

Accidents are identity-confirmed against FAA registration records (two independent sources).


3 exact, 5 recovered, 0 provisional

Methodology
8
Recorded GA Accidents

Total recorded general-aviation accidents within the analyzed period.


4 fatal accidents.

50.0% of recorded accidents were fatal.

831
Currently Registered

Active aircraft fleet size contributing to the exposure data.


7,346

Aircraft-years of FAA registration exposure (2008–present).


Comparison

Within its peer cohort

Within this model's peer class (same aircraft type, engine class, and seat range), comparison of its share of recorded NTSB accidents to its share of FAA registration exposure (aircraft-years since 2008).

This is a share comparison, not flight-hours adjusted, so a model flown more per airframe than its peers will show an accident share above its exposure share even if its per-hour safety is average. Methodology →

Model class Share of cohort
Accidents
13.3%
Exposure
22.0%
Time series

Accidents by year

Recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents per calendar year, derived directly from the NTSB accident database. Each bar shows the accidents that occurred in that year. Methodology →

2008 – 2024 Total 8
Accidents by year Accidents by year (total 8 observed): 2008 1, 2016 1, 2019 1, 2020 2, 2022 2, 2024 1. 1 2 3 4 0 1 '08 1 '16 1 '19 2 '20 2 '22 1 '24
Composition

Phase of flight

Which phase of flight each accident occurred in, as coded by the NTSB. Most accidents happen in the phases where most flying time is concentrated, so this isn't a measure of which phase is most dangerous.

5 categories Total 8
Enroute 3
Initial climb 2
Standing 1
Takeoff 1
Approach 1
Causes

Finding category

Top-level NTSB cause category, from the coded investigation findings. An accident often has more than one finding, so totals here can exceed the recorded accident count.

NTSB top-level codes Total 27
Personnel issues 13
Aircraft 8
Environmental issues 5
Not determined 1
Outcomes

Injury severity

NTSB classification of the worst injury in each accident: None, Minor, Serious, or Fatal. Each accident counts in exactly one severity.

Highest per accident Total 8
Fatal 4
None 3
Minor 1

Operating-rule mix (all parts): 091 (8)· 135 (2)

Recorded Accidents

All 8 recorded NTSB general-aviation accidents for this model, most recent first.

Date Location Tail Damage Highest injury Phase of flight Finding categories
Recluse, WY N357HE Destroyed Fatal Enroute unknown
Beaufort, NC N79NX Destroyed Fatal Enroute Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Ronkonkoma, NY N357JK Substantial None Standing Aircraft, Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Pacific Ocean, PO N400PW Substantial None Emergency descent Not determined
Lake Abert, OR N1220A Substantial None Takeoff Personnel issues, Environmental issues
Chamberlain, SD N56KJ Destroyed Fatal Initial climb Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
SAVANNAH, GA N978AF Substantial Minor Initial climb Personnel issues, Aircraft, Environmental issues
Santa Fe, NM N606SL Destroyed Fatal Approach Personnel issues
Data presented on this website is sourced directly from official Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records. To ensure accuracy, we try not to correct issues such as improper punctuation, spelling errors, empty fields, or unusual labels like "SALE REPORTED" for a registrant. We make every effort to present information as it appears in the FAA database. This website is not affiliated with any government agency.