Alaska

Site:

Anchorage-Ted Stevens Intl

Schedule:

Anchorage - Aniak

MSN:

6655

YOM:

1959

Location:

Country:

Region:

Dornier DO.28D Skyservant

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

9703

Captain / Total hours on type:

2039.00

Circumstances:

During the takeoff roll on runway 20 at Anchorage-Intl Airport, the pilot-in-command realized the takeoff was not possible so he decided to abort. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, rolled for 689 yards then collided with trees and came to rest. All six occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Aborted takeoff and overran following poor flight preparation on part of the flying crew. The following factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation and/or planning,
- Gust locks engaged,
- Lack of familiarity with aircraft,
- Elevator gust lock not removed.

Final Report:

Crash of a Dornier DO.28D-1 Skyservant in Elim

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1974 at 0900 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N3799

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Nome - Elim

MSN:

4005

YOM:

1968

Location:

Elim

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

4745

Captain / Total hours on type:

53.00

Circumstances:

After touchdown at Elim Airstrip, the twin engine airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and collided with a snow bank and a snow removal machine. Both occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

Overrun and collision with snowbank after the pilot selected an unsuitable terrain and failed to initiate a go-around. The following factors was reported:
- Ice/slush on runway.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas R6D-1 on Great Sitkin Island: 10 killed

Date & Time: Dec 11, 1973

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-6

Operator:

Registration:

131615

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Whidbey Island - Elmendorf - Adak

MSN:

43718/371

YOM:

1953

Location:

Great Sitkin Island

Country:

Region:

Rockwell Aero Commander 560

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The four engine airplane was on its way from Whidbey Island NAS to Adak with an intermediate stop at Elmendorf AFB. The goal of the flight was to repatriate Navy personnel back to Whidbey Island for the Christmas period. Following an uneventful flight from Anchorage, while cruising at an altitude of 4,700 feet in limited visibility, the airplane struck the slope of a volcano located on the Great Sitkin Island, about 25 miles northeast of Adak Airfield. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 10 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 560A in Galena: 1 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 1973 at 1135 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Fort Wainwright Air

Registration:

N12317

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Private

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Fairbanks - Gulkana - Galena - Nome

MSN:

560-243

YOM:

1955

Location:

Galena

Country:

Region:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

2600

Captain / Total hours on type:

6.00

Circumstances:

The twin engine airplane was completing a flight from Fairbanks to Nome with intermediate stops in Gulkana and Galena. On approach to Galena, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions with low ceiling, fog and snow falls reducing the visibility to 1,000 feet. On final under VFR mode, he was unable to locate the runway when he realized he was facing the tower. He initiated a turn to avoid collision when he lost control of the airplane that crashed near the runway. All five passengers were seriously injured while the pilot was killed.

Probable cause:

Improper flight decisions on part of the pilot. The following factors were reported:
- The pilot continued VFR flight into adverse weather conditions,
- Evasive maneuver to avoid collision,
- The pilot failed to maintain flying speed,
- Low ceiling, fog and snow,
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Improperly loaded aircraft,
- No weather briefing received,
- Low level VFR approach to IFR airport,
- Turned to avoid tower and stalled,
- Passengers obtained a partial weather briefing,
- Over maximum gross weight.

Final Report:

Crash of a Grumman G-44 Widgeon in Kodiak

Date & Time: Oct 6, 1973 at 0705 LT

Type of aircraft:

Grumman G-44 Widgeon

Operator:

Registration:

N176MS

Flight Phase:

Takeoff (climb)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Kodiak - Afognak Lake

MSN:

1324

YOM:

1943

Location:

Kodiak

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

1690

Captain / Total hours on type:

45.00

Circumstances:

The pilot attempted to takeoff from Kodiak in a limited visibility due to fog. At mid-runway, he realized that another pilot entered the runway so he pulled on the control column to rotate. The twin engine airplane lifted off but due to an insufficient speed, it stalled and crashed in a lake past the runway end. All seven occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, the visibility was very poor due to fog.

Probable cause:

The pilot made an evasive maneuver to avoid collision. The following factors were reported:
- Airport conditions: hidden hazard,
- Premature liftoff,
- Failed to obtain flying speed,
- Pilot off other aircraft,
- Vision obstructed by 80 feet rise in elevation at mid-runway,
- Unable to see taxiing aircraft on runway.

Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-8-63CF on Mt Dutton: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 8, 1973 at 0542 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas DC-8

Operator:

Registration:

N802WA

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Travis - Cold Bay - Yokota - Clark

MSN:

46146/536

YOM:

1970

Flight number:

WO802

Location:

Mt Dutton

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

22913

Captain / Total hours on type:

1969.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

4984

Copilot / Total hours on type:

457

Aircraft flight hours:

10077

Circumstances:

On behalf of the USAF, the four engine airplane departed Travis AFB on a cargo flight to Clark AFB, Philippines, with intermediate stops in Cold Bay and Yokota AFB. While approaching Cold Bay by night at an altitude of 3,500 feet, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions when the airplane struck the slope of Mt Dutton (4,941 feet high) located 18 miles east of Cold Bay Airport. At impact, the aircraft's speed was 185 knots and it was heading 275°. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, the airplane was off course by 12°.

Probable cause:

The captain's deviation from approved instrument approach procedures. As a result of the deviation the flight descended into an area of unreliable navigation signals and obstructing terrain.

Final Report:

Crash of a Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando in Beluga

Date & Time: Jul 10, 1973 at 0958 LT

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

N1312V

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Anchorage - Beluga

MSN:

22575

YOM:

1945

Location:

Beluga

Country:

Region:

Swearingen SA26T Merlin II

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

12500

Captain / Total hours on type:

1100.00

Circumstances:

On short final, the airplane was too low and the main gear struck a bank located 152 feet short of runway and about 18 inches below the runway level. The pilot tried to go around but the left engine failed. The airplane crash landed on the runway and came to rest. All three crew members escaped uninjured.

Probable cause:

The crew misjudged distance and altitude on short final. The following factors were reported:
- Poorly planned approach,
- Downdrafts, updrafts,
- Overload failure,
- Accident occurred in below VMC.

Final Report:

Crash of a Swearingen SA26T Merlin IIA near Deadhorse: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 16, 1973 at 1045 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Winship Air Services

Registration:

N1214S

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Plain, Valley

Schedule:

Fairbanks - Deadhorse - Prudhoe Bay

MSN:

T26-31

YOM:

1968

Location:

Deadhorse

Country:

Region:

Pilatus PC-6 (Porter & Turbo Porter)

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

8216

Captain / Total hours on type:

1134.00

Circumstances:

While descending in marginal weather conditions, the pilot lost his orientation and descended too low without any ground reference when the airplane struck the ground and crashed 28 NM south of the airport. Two passengers were killed while three other occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Controlled flight into terrain during initial approach following improper IFR operation on part of the pilot. The following factors were reported:
- Became lost/disoriented,
- Low ceiling,
- Began approach before Sta passage,
- Descent below clearance limit,
- Exceeded 10 NM arc outbound,
- Impacted terrain 28 NM south of airport.

Final Report:

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B-H2 Turbo Porter in Anchorage

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1972 at 1600 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N2854T

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Training

Survivors:

Site:

Anchorage-Ted Stevens Intl

Schedule:

Anchorage - Anchorage

MSN:

575

YOM:

1965

Location:

Country:

Region: