Date & Time: Jan 26, 1963
Type of aircraft:
Curtiss C-46 Commando
Registration:
N67933
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kotzebue – Cape Lisburne
MSN:
22380
YOM:
1945
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The wind direction shifted from east to south while the crew were preparing to land at runway 08. The captain decided to initiate a landing on runway 26. The sink rate during the approach became unsatisfactory and a go around was attempted. The aircraft was in a right turn at 150 feet when the plane settled and crashed in the Chuckchi Sea, some 300 yards from the runway. Both pilots survived the impact, but one of them drowned in the 27° F water. Downdrafts in the area north of the runway probably caused the plane to settle. Downdrafts were known to exist when the wind is southerly. The phenomena is caused by high terrain surrounding the strip on all sides except the north.
Probable cause:
An uncontrollable loss of altitude caused by adverse wind conditions during an attempted go around.