Douglas C54GDC N898AL
17 April 1995 · Kivalina, Alaska, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 17 April 1995 at about 21:00 local time, a Douglas C54GDC registered N898AL was involved in an accident near Kivalina, Alaska, United States. 2 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 21:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Kivalina, Alaska, United States
- Nearest airport
- Kivalina (KVL)
- Coordinates
- 67.7299, -164.5494
- Aircraft
- Douglas C54GDC
- Registration
- N898AL
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 4
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Galena → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC95LA046
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO IDENTIFY A HAZARDOUS LANDING AREA. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT ARE THE PRESENCE OF SNOW BANKS/BERMS ON THE RUNWAY, AND THE INADEQUATE SNOW REMOVAL BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE FOUR ENGINE TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANE WAS CARRYING A LOAD OF FUEL OIL FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE VILLAGE OF KIVALINA. THE PILOT REPORTED HE FLEW OVER THE 3,000' LONG BY 60' WIDE STRIP PRIOR TO LANDING, AND NOTED IN THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY SOME GRAVEL WAS VISIBLE THROUGH A LAYER OF SURROUNDING SNOW. HE SAID HE COULD NOT SEE ANY SNOW BANKS OR DEEPER SNOW IN THE LANDING AREA, AND AVAILABLE NOTICES TO AIRMEN DID NOT MENTION ANY SNOW BANKS OR SNOW BERMS ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE LANDED NEAR THE THRESHOLD AND ON THE CENTER LINE, BUT, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SOON ENCOUNTERED A SNOW BERM AND THE AIRPLANE WAS PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED OTHER SNOW BERMS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S SUPPLEMENT FOR ALASKA AIRPORTS, FOR THE KIVALINA AIRPORT, STATES, IN PART: UNATTENDED. CAUTION: RWY CONDITION NOT MONITORED, RECOMMEND VISUAL INSPECTION PRIOR TO USING.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Apr 1995 | Cessna 180B | Cantwell, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 21 May 1995 | Cessna 150 | Wasilla, Alaska, United States | Alaska Air Academy | Fatal | 1 |
| 3 Jun 1995 | Piper J3C-65 | Palmer, Alaska, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 May 1995 | Piper PA-18 | Chugiak, Alaska, United States | Peter J. Kust | Fatal | 2 |
| 21 Jun 1995 | De Havilland DHC-2 | Nondalton, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 5 |
| 25 Jun 1995 | Piper PA-31 | Valdez, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 4 |