Curtis-Wright C46A N1419Z

Summary

On 20 December 2000 at about 20:20 local time, a Curtis-Wright C46A registered N1419Z was involved in an accident near Kenai, 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.

Date

20 December 2000 at 20:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Kenai, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.3631, -152.6169

Aircraft

Curtis-Wright C46A

Registration

N1419Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 125: 20+ Pax,6000+ lbs

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nondalton → Kenai

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ANC01FA026

2 people died.

The flight crew's decision to continue VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors associated with the accident are high winds, turbulence, and low ceilings.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight crew was returning from off-loading their cargo at a remote site on the west side of a mountain range. The return flight would provide an option of following a lower mountain pass, or flying over the mountainous terrain. Witnesses related that prior to the flight's departure, the marginal VFR weather conditions began to deteriorate very rapidly, with winds in excess of 50 knots, lowering ceilings, rain, and turbulence. An airmet, valid during the time of the accident, forecast high winds, mountain obscuration, and turbulence. The wreckage of the airplane was located near the crest of a 2,900 feet msl ridge. Wreckage debris was scattered on both sides of the ridge, and the airplane was destroyed by the high speed impact. Inspection of the wreckage disclosed no evidence any mechanical anomalies. A radar track analysis of a target airplane believed to be the accident airplane, depicted a track on a direct route of flight over the mountains from the departure airport towards the destination airport. Altitude data was not received from the target airplane's Mode C transponder, and therefore was extrapolated from the less reliable radar plot information. The maximum altitude plotted was approximately 10,800 feet, prior to a descent as the airplane neared the west side of the range. Mountains along the route of flight exceed 10,000 feet msl.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.