Plane Crash List

Douglas DC-6B N4390F

31 January 2001 · Crooked Creek, Alaska, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 31 January 2001 at about 17:15 local time, a Douglas DC-6B registered N4390F, operated by Everts Air Fuel, Inc., was involved in an accident near Crooked Creek, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 17:15
Classification
Accident
Location
Crooked Creek, Alaska, United States
Nearest airport
Donlin Creek Airstrip
Coordinates
62.3333, -158.2167
Aircraft
Douglas DC-6B
Registration
N4390F
Category
Airplane
Engines
4
Operating rule
Part 125: 20+ Pax,6000+ lbs
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Fairbanks → Crooked Creek
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
ANC01LA034

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
3 0 0 0 3

Probable cause

The flight crew's misjudged flare while landing. Factors associated with the accident were flat light conditions, snow-covered terrain, and an uphill runway grade.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The certificated airline transport captain related that the purpose of the flight was to deliver about 4,800 gallons of fuel oil to the remote mining site. He said that the 5,400 feet long by 100 feet wide airstrip was situated within hilly, snow-covered terrain. He added that the airstrip has a 7 percent uphill grade. Flat light conditions existed at the airstrip, and light snow showers were present, with visibility reported at 2 miles. The captain stated that during final approach, as the airplane passed over the airstrip threshold, flat light conditions made it very difficult to discern where the airstrip surface was. He said that the initial touch down was "firm", but was thought to be within acceptable tolerances. Just after touchdown, the left wing broke free from the airplane at the wing to fuselage attach point. The airplane veered to the left, and off the left side of the runway. The captain said that the airplane's computed landing weight was 92,260 pounds.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Douglas DC-6B accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
26 Sep 2001 Douglas DC-6B
N867TA
Nuiqsut, Alaska, United States - Minor injuries -
2 Jan 1998 Douglas DC-6B
N861TA
McGrath, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
3 Mar 1992 Douglas DC-6B
N151
Selawik, Alaska, United States Everts, Cliff Minor injuries -
12 Jun 2011 Douglas DC-6B
N600UA
Cold Bay, Alaska, United States Universal Airlines Inc No injuries -
5 May 1990 Douglas DC-6B
N84BL
Guatemala City, Guatemala
no coordinates
Aerial Transit Fatal 3
3 Dec 1989 Douglas DC-6B
N371
George Town, Bahamas
no coordinates
Ilpo No injuries -

All 33 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
4 Sep 2001 Piper PA-12
N5129Y
Tok, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
19 Aug 2001 Freeman GLASTAR
N677DT
Glennallen, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
19 Aug 2001 Piper PA-18-135
N9963Q
Palmer, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
20 Jul 2001 Piper PA-16
N5280H
Anchorage, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
11 Aug 2001 Sikorsky S61A
N5193Y
Wrangell, Alaska, United States - No injuries -
8 Aug 2001 Cessna 150
N11361
Delta Junction, Alaska, United States - Serious injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States