Narrative:
The Alaska Air National Guard C-47 was flying Army National civilian employees back home from San Francisco, CA. Intermediate stops were planned at Tacoma-McChord AFB, WA (TCM) and Annette Island Airport, AK (ANN) before it was to continue to Anchorage, AK.
High winds and severe turbulence prevented them from landing at Annette Island. The crew decided to divert to Gustavus, AK (GST) were the weather was reported clear for little or no wind. Low on fuel, the captain flew a short visual approach instead of flying an instrument approach. This would have taken him far out over Glacier Bay. He failed to land on the first attempt and again circled the field. It was dark and beginning to snow. The crew descended too low and the right wing caught a tall tree that made the aircraft start to spin. The C-47 nosed into the ground.
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
accident date: 23-11-1957
type: Douglas C-47D (DC-3)
registration: 43-49403
| Status: | |
| Date: | Saturday 23 November 1957 |
| Time: | 20:00 |
| Type: |  Douglas C-47D (DC-3) |
| Operator: | Air National Guard |
| Registration: | 43-49403 |
| MSN: | 26664/15219 |
| First flight: | 1944 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney R-1830-90C |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 11 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | NW of Gustavus Airport, AK (GST) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Tacoma-McChord AFB, WA (TCM/KTCM), United States of America |
| Annette Island Airport, AK (ANN/PANT), United States of America |
The Alaska Air National Guard C-47 was flying Army National civilian employees back home from San Francisco, CA. Intermediate stops were planned at Tacoma-McChord AFB, WA (TCM) and Annette Island Airport, AK (ANN) before it was to continue to Anchorage, AK.
High winds and severe turbulence prevented them from landing at Annette Island. The crew decided to divert to Gustavus, AK (GST) were the weather was reported clear for little or no wind. Low on fuel, the captain flew a short visual approach instead of flying an instrument approach. This would have taken him far out over Glacier Bay. He failed to land on the first attempt and again circled the field. It was dark and beginning to snow. The crew descended too low and the right wing caught a tall tree that made the aircraft start to spin. The C-47 nosed into the ground.
Classification:
VFR flight in IMC Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Mountain
Sources:
» The Complete 1957 Plane Crash Story by Rita WilsonPhotos
accident date: 23-11-1957
type: Douglas C-47D (DC-3)
registration: 43-49403
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Tacoma-McChord AFB, WA to Annette Island Airport, AK as the crow flies is 1075 km (672 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
Distance from Tacoma-McChord AFB, WA to Annette Island Airport, AK as the crow flies is 1075 km (672 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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