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Crash of a Beechcraft G18 in Kenai

Date & Time: Dec 18, 1968 at 1402 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft G18S
Operator:
North Air
Registration:
N5730U
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
BA-489
YOM:
1960
Location:
Kenai
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2525
Captain / Total hours on type:
470.00
Circumstances:
While approaching Kenai, the crew encountered icing conditions. During a last turn to join the approach path, the twin engine aircraft stalled and crashed few km short of runway. All nine occupants were injured, four of them seriously.
Probable cause:
The accident was probably caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- Poorly planned approach,
- Aircraft not aligned with runway,
- Icing conditions, including sleet and freezing rain,
- Fog,
- Heavy aircraft icing with ice fog encountered during circling approach,
- Stalled during attempt to align with runway.
Final Report:

Crash of a Grumman G-44 Widgeon on Sanak Island

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1968 at 1310 LT
Type of aircraft:
Grumman G-44 Widgeon
Operator:
Registration:
N148M
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
1220
YOM:
1942
Location:
Sanak Island
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11500
Captain / Total hours on type:
3000.00
Circumstances:
While taking off from a lagoon off Sanak Island, the airplane failed to get airborne, struck the shore and crashed. All four occupants were injured, two of them seriously. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
The accident was probably caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- Sudden windshift,
- Quartering tailwind up to 30 knots,
- The pilot attempted to takeoff from a lagoon at low tide.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fairchild F27B in Pedro Bay: 39 killed

Date & Time: Dec 2, 1968 at 0936 LT
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild F27
Operator:
Registration:
N4905
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Anchorage – Iliamna – Big Mountain – King Salmon – Dillingham
MSN:
49
YOM:
1959
Flight number:
WC055
Location:
Pedro Bay
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
36
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
39
Captain / Total flying hours:
10557
Captain / Total hours on type:
5357.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
12087
Aircraft flight hours:
17194
Circumstances:
A Wien Consolidated Airlines Fairchild F-27B, N4905, crashed at Pedro Bay, Alaska. The 36 passengers and three crew members were killed in the accident and the aircraft was destroyed by in-flight breakup and ground impact. The aircraft was being operated as Flight 55 in scheduled domestic passenger service between Anchorage International Airport, AK (ANC) and Dillingham Municipal Airport, AK (DLG) with en route stops at Iliamna Airport, AK (ILI), Big Mountain Airport, AK (BMX), and King Salmon Airport, AK (AKN). Flight 55 departed from Anchorage at 08:46 on an instrument flight plan for Iliamna. The flight was cleared to cruise at 16,000 feet. The weather at Iliamna was reported to be clear, and the visibility was 15 miles at the time of the flight's departure from Anchorage. The flight proceeded toward Iliamna without reported difficulty, and at 09:25, the first officer requested a clearance for an approach to Iliamna. This request was approved. No further communication was received from the crew. Ground witnesses in and around the Pedro Bay area reported that they saw a fireball and a large cloud of black smoke which appeared to be behind the wing of the aircraft. The aircraft appeared to continue on course for a short period of time, then pieces of the aircraft were seen falling, and the aircraft entered a spinning descent. The major portion of the wreckage was located on the southern shore of Foxies Lake at an elevation of approximately 220 feet.
Probable cause:
The Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was an in-flight structural failure caused by an encounter with severe to extreme turbulence. This turbulence was not forecast and its presence was not known to the flight crew. The failure occurred in an area of the right wing (WS 197) which had been weakened to an indeterminate degree by pre-existing fatigue cracks.
Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 680 in Barrow: 7 killed

Date & Time: Nov 21, 1968 at 0954 LT
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Aero Commander 680
Operator:
Barrow Air Services
Registration:
N3810C
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
680-750-40
YOM:
1959
Location:
Barrow
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Captain / Total flying hours:
13262
Captain / Total hours on type:
41.00
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Barrow Airport, while in initial climb, the right engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed in flames. A passenger was seriously injured while seven other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident was probably caused by the combination of the following factors:
- Failure of the right engine for undetermined reason,
- Improper operation of flight controls,
- Improper operation of powerplant,
- Improper emergency procedures,
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Improperly loaded aircraft-weight and CofG,
- Aircraft allowed to enter condition of asymmetrical thrust,
- Aircraft overloaded by 475 lbs.
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas EC-47Q in Klawock

Date & Time: Oct 25, 1968
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)
Operator:
Registration:
42-24304
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
10166
YOM:
1943
Location:
Klawock
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew was transferring the aircraft to Vietnam. While approaching Klawock Airstrip located in south Alaska, the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in a swampy area. There were no casualties but the aircraft was written off.

Crash of a Rockwell Aero Commander 680 in Tin City

Date & Time: Oct 12, 1968 at 1110 LT
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Aero Commander 680
Operator:
Registration:
N401M
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
680-338-31
YOM:
1956
Location:
Tin City
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
5219
Captain / Total hours on type:
1897.00
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Tin City, the right engine malfunctioned. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed by the runway. Both occupants were seriously injured and the airplane was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident was probably caused by the combination of the following factors:
- Engine failure or malfunction caused by carbon deposit, ignition system, spark plugs,
- Stall during initial climb,
- The pilot attempted operation with known deficiencies in equipment,
- The pilot failed to abort the takeoff procedure,
- The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- Witnesses stated that the right engine backfired,
- The pilot continued the takeoff procedure and climbed in a steep attitude,
- Two previous takeoff were aborted.
Final Report:

Crash of a Chase YC-122C Avitruc in Golovin

Date & Time: Sep 7, 1968 at 1722 LT
Type of aircraft:
Chase YC-122 Avitruc
Operator:
Mobile Aircraft
Registration:
N122R
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
MSN:
CY-882
YOM:
1954
Location:
Golovin
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
10000
Captain / Total hours on type:
120.00
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a cargo flight and the aircraft was carrying a load of cement bags. En route, the right engine failed and the crew decided to divert to Golovin Airport for an emergency landing. On final, the pilot-in-command decided to make a go-around when the airplane stalled and crashed in a lagoon located short of runway and came to rest in three feet of water. Both pilots were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair and abandoned.
Probable cause:
Failure of the cylinder number one on right engine. Initiated go-around at a too low speed, causing the aircraft to stall and crash. The following factors were considered as contributing:
- The crew failed to maintain flying speed,
- The crew misused or failed to use flaps,
- Poorly planned approach.
Final Report:

Crash of a Consolidated P4Y-2G Privateer in McGrath: 4 killed

Date & Time: Jul 22, 1968 at 1757 LT
Type of aircraft:
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
Operator:
Avery Aviation
Registration:
N7974A
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Fire fighting
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
McGrath - McGrath
MSN:
66306
YOM:
1944
Location:
McGrath
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
1334
Captain / Total hours on type:
245.00
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a fire fighting mission near McGrath. While flying at low height, the airplane stuck the slope of a mountain and crashed, killing all four occupants.
Probable cause:
The pilot-in-command misjudged altitude and clearance, causing the aircraft to struck the slope of a mountain.
Final Report:

Crash of a North American B-25 Mitchell in Sitka

Date & Time: Jan 24, 1968 at 1859 LT
Type of aircraft:
North American B-25 Mitchell
Operator:
Registration:
N7707C
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
108-33965
YOM:
1944
Location:
Sitka
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3734
Captain / Total hours on type:
58.00
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight, the crew completed the landing procedure on a snow covered runway at Sitka Airport. After touchdown, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and collided with a rock pile. While all three occupants escaped uninjured, the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire. The aircraft was owned by Fred Lewis and Fred Zax.
Probable cause:
The crew failed to maintain directional control after landing due to snow on runway. The crew decided to attempt the flight with known deficiencies in equipment as the aircraft was poorly equipped with unreliable radios and the cockpit light failed in flight. At the time of the accident, the runway was covered with one inch of snow.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed P-2H Neptune on Mt Fairweather: 14 killed

Date & Time: Dec 14, 1967
Type of aircraft:
Lockheed P-2 Neptune
Operator:
Registration:
135594
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Military
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Sangley Point – Elmendorf – Whidbey Island
MSN:
726-7038
YOM:
1955
Location:
Mt Fairweather
Alaska
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
14
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a transpacific flight from Sangley Point AFB to Whidbey Island with probable en route stops in Japan and Alaska (Elmendorf or Ladd AAF). While in cruising altitude, the airplane struck the slope of Mt Fairweather located approximately 123 miles northwest of Juneau. As the aircraft failed to arrive at Whidbey Island NAS, SAR operations were conducted but eventually suspended few days later as no trace of the aircraft nor the 14 crew members was found. In 1982, the wreckage was found in an isolated area.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.
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