Douglas DC-3T C-FMKB
20 December 2007 · McMurdo Station, Antarctica · Minor injuries
Summary
On 20 December 2007 at about 01:23 local time, a Douglas DC-3T registered C-FMKB, operated by Kenn Borek Air LTD., was involved in an accident near McMurdo Station, Antarctica. 10 people were on board and one 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 01:23
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- McMurdo Station, Antarctica
- Coordinates
- -78.0169, -154.9669
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-3T
- Registration
- C-FMKB
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Kenn Borek Air LTD.
- Operating rule
- Public Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- McMurdo Station → Mt. Paterson RA
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC08TA028
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
Probable cause
The captain's decision to lift off before attaining a proper airspeed, resulting in a loss of control during takeoff.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The flightcrew was departing from an area of snow-covered terrain in the turbine-powered, wheel/ski-equipped airplane. The captain said that during the takeoff run, as the airplane neared 70 knots, he moved the airplane's control column aft in an attempt to lower the tail, and attain a flying attitude. Just before the airplane became airborne, the right wing lifted and left wing struck the snow-covered terrain, which pivoted the airplane 90 degrees to the left. Both main landing gear assemblies collapsed and the airplane came to rest on the belly, sustaining substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The first officer reported that during the takeoff run, as the airplane neared 60 knots, and as the captain moved the control column aft, she felt the airplane's tailwheel contact the hard packed snow. The first officer said that other captains that she had flown with usually attain a higher airspeed before becoming airborne. The cockpit voice recorder revealed that the highest airspeed that the first officer called out during the takeoff run was 60 knots, about 3 to 5 seconds prior to the crash.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jan 2003 | Bell 212 | McMurdo Station, Antarctica | National Science Foundation | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Dec 2011 | University of Kansas MERIDIAN | McMurdo, Antarctica | University of Kansas | Unknown | - |
| 12 Dec 1999 | De Havilland DH-6 TWIN OTTER | Ago-6, Antarctica | National Science Foundation | Minor injuries | - |