Piper PA-31-310 N6CC
18 July 1994 · McCarthy, Alaska, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 18 July 1994 at about 19:40 local time, a Piper PA-31-310 registered N6CC, operated by Gulkana Air Service, was involved in an accident near McCarthy, Alaska, United States. 8 people were on board and 5 were seriously injured, 3 had minor injuries. 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 19:40
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- McCarthy, Alaska, United States
- Nearest airport
- McCarthy Nr 2 (15Z)
- Coordinates
- 55.9205, -159.4905
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-310
- Registration
- N6CC
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Gulkana Air Service
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Anchorage
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC94FA087
People
5 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT USE OF THE PARKING BRAKE DURING THE TAKEOFF AND NOT ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE AIRPLANE CHECKLIST.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT SAID THE ENGINE INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL, BUT THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS SLOW TO ACCELERATE DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DID NOT CONSIDER ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. THE PASSENGERS ON BOARD THE PLANE CONCURRED WITH THE PILOT'S COMMENTS. THE PASSENGERS SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS AIRBORNE FOR ONLY A VERY SHORT TIME BEFORE IT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT BOTH MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRES HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO EXTENSIVE THERMAL DAMAGE AND THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE GLAZED. THE PILOT BELIEVED THAT HE RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE AFTER COMPLETING THE ENGINE RUNUP. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND WITH THE PLANE'S BRAKE SYSTEM.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Feb 1994 | Piper PA-31-350 | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | Arizona Pacific Airlines | Serious injuries | - |
| 21 Apr 1994 | Piper PA-31-350 | Laredo, Texas, United States | Aeropac | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jun 1994 | Piper PA-31-350 | Oxford, Connecticut, United States | The Plane Broker | No injuries | - |
| 18 May 1994 | Piper PA-31-350 | Herrera, Dominican Republic | Dorado Air | No injuries | - |
| 4 Mar 1994 | Piper PA-31-350 | Frazier Park, California, United States | Ameriflight, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 7 Apr 1994 | Piper PA-31-350 | Elizabethton, Tennessee, United States | Augusta Aviation, Inc. | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-18-150 | Gulkana, Alaska, United States | Maynard, Roger L. | No injuries | - |
| 8 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-12 | Nondalton, Alaska, United States | Alaska Safari, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 1994 | Cessna 140 | Willow, Alaska, United States | Moore, Charles D. | No injuries | - |
| 15 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-18-150 | Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States | 4W Air | No injuries | - |
| 13 Sep 1994 | Piper PA-18 | Kodiak, Alaska, United States | Hulbert, Ward A. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 1994 | Cessna 182B | Ketchikan, Alaska, United States | Charlton, Albert J. | No injuries | - |