Short Brothers SC7 N451SA
25 March 1997 · Nunapitchuk, Alaska, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 25 March 1997 at about 15:23 local time, a Short Brothers SC7 registered N451SA, operated by Arctic Circle Air Service Inc., was involved in an accident near Nunapitchuk, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:23
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Nunapitchuk, Alaska, United States
- Nearest airport
- Nunapitchuk (16A)
- Coordinates
- 60.8807, -162.4610
- Aircraft
- Short Brothers SC7
- Registration
- N451SA
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Arctic Circle Air Service Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Positioning
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Bethel
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC97FA037
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
inadequate visual look-out by the pilots of both airplanes, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid each other's airplanes.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot of Cessna 207A, N800GA, was returning to his company base, passing about 2 miles north of a remote airstrip that was along the route of flight. The airstrip did not have any control tower. [Communications around an uncontrolled airport are conducted on a common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF)]. The pilot of a Short SC7, N451SA, announced his departure from the same airstrip on the CTAF, and took off in a northerly direction. He then began a climbing right turn toward the same destination as the Cessna 207A was proceeding. The two airplanes collided in mid-air, about 1.49 nautical miles east-northeast of the airstrip, which was about 18.3 miles west of their destination. They were observed spiraling downward from about 800 ft above the ground. Both airplanes were found lying flat and upright on a frozen lake, entangled together at the accident site. The Cessna's burned wreckage was lying on top of (and positioned toward the aft third of) the burned wreckage of the Short SC7.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short Brothers SC7 SC7 | N451SA | Arctic Circle Air Service Inc. | Destroyed |
| Cessna 207A 207A | N800GA | - | Destroyed |
Other Short Brothers SC7 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Sep 1996 | Short Brothers SC7 | Findlay Twnshp, Pennsylvania, United States | North Star Air Cargo, Inc | No injuries | - |
| 11 Aug 1995 | Short Brothers SC.7 | Nikolai, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 5 Apr 2000 | Short Brothers SC7 | Delta Junction, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jul 1992 | Short Brothers SC7 | Bethel, Alaska, United States | Arctic Circle Air Service Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Jun 1988 | Short Brothers SC.7 | Cleveland, Ohio, United States | Air Cargo Carriers | No injuries | - |
| 20 Apr 1987 | Short Brothers SC7 | Denver, Colorado, United States | Capitol Aviation, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-32-300 | Juneau, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 20 Oct 1997 | Cessna 208B | Kasigluk, Alaska, United States | Peninsula Airways Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-22-160 | Sterling, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 12 Oct 1997 | Cessna 182B | Palmer, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Oct 1997 | Bell 206-B2 | Sutton, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Oct 1997 | Piper PA-20 | Naknek, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |