ASN Aircraft accident Douglas DC-7CF N285 Biorka Island, AK
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Monday 22 October 1962
Time:12:52
Type:Silhouette image of generic DC7 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Douglas DC-7CF
Operator:Northwest Orient Airlines
Registration: N285
MSN: 45204/792
First flight: 1957
Total airframe hrs:17176
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 95
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 102
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:off Biorka Island, AK (   United States of America)
Phase: En route (ENR)
Nature:Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Tacoma-McChord AFB, WA (TCM/KTCM), United States of America
Destination airport:Anchorage-Elmendorf AFB, AK (EDF/PAED), United States of America
Flightnumber: 293
Narrative:
The DC-7C, owned by Northwest, was operating on a Military Air Transport Charter flight 293 from McChord AFB to Anchorage-Elmendorf AFB, AK.
The plane took off at 08:58. Three hours later, at FL200, a loss of power on the no. 2 engine was experienced en route, followed by an uncontrollable overspeeding of the no. 2 propeller.
A ditching seemed inevitable and a descend to 500 feet was carried out and the aircraft then ditched in Sitka Sound, AK at 12:52 at a speed of 176 km/h. The DC-7 stayed afloat for 24 minutes. All 102 persons on board were evacuated using life rafts.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "An uncontrollable overspeeding propeller due to failure in the blower section of the No.2 engine."

Accident investigation:

Investigating agency: CAB
Status: Investigation completed
Accident number: final report
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Ditching

Sources:
» Ditch or crash-land?/B.W. Townshend, 1965 (50-54)
» ICAO Accident Digest No.14 Volume I, Circular 71-AN/63 (67-70)


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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 Anchorage-Elmendorf AFB, AK as the crow flies is 2323 km (1452 miles).

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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