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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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May 28, 2011 · Dehavilland DHC-3T · N87AW

Bettles Field, AK

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
May 28, 2011
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Bettles Field, AK
Aircraft
Dehavilland DHC-3T
Tail Number
N87AW
Operator
Alaska West Air
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
ANC11LA048

The pilot was landing at a remote, private airstrip. He said the landing area was soft, and as the airplane touched down it veered to the left. His efforts to abort the landing with the runway remaining was unsuccessful. The airplane exited the right side of the landing area and collided with a fuel tank farm. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, aileron, and the fuselage. The pilot said there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause

Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C

Full Narrative

On May 28, 2011, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a De Havilland DHC-3T airplane, N87AW, sustained substantial damage during landing at a private airstrip, about 80 miles northwest of Bettles Field, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Alaska West Air, Kenai, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) passenger flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 135, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot and sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight departed Coldfoot, Alaska, about 1300. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on May 29, the director of operations for the operator said the airplane ran off the end of the runway into a fuel tank farm. He said the airplane's right wing and aileron were damaged when the airplane struck a fuel storage tank. No mechanical anomalies prior to the accident were reported by the pilot. In a written statement to the NTSB dated August 1, the pilot said the landing area was soft, and after touching down the airplane veered a little to the left, and he corrected to the right. When he attempted to come back to the left, he didn't have enough rudder and brake authority to bring the airplane to the left, and not enough runway remaining to abort the landing. He was unable to stop the airplane before it collided with fuel spill equipment.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time14:00 AKDT
Nearest AirportSun Private (0nm)
Runway Length1500 ft
Runway Width75 ft
Flight Plan FiledCvfr
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftDehavilland DHC-3T
Tail NumberN87AW
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorAlaska West Air
Operating RulePart 135
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsPratt & Whitney · PT6A · Turboprop · 750
Seats11

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 52 · Second Class · None

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind180° @ 7 kt
Visibility100 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourcePILO

Appendix: Source Data