Accident description
Last updated: 19 June 2013
| Status: | |
| Date: | 22 OCT 1962 |
| Time: | 12:52 |
| Type: | Douglas DC-7CF |
| Operator: | Northwest Orient Airlines |
| Registration: | N285 |
| C/n / 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 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (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 |
| Anchorage-Elmendorf AFB, AK (EDF/PAED), United States of America | |
| Flightnumber: | 293 |
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 176km/h. The DC-7 stayed afloat for 24 minutes. All 102 persons on board were evacuated using life rafts.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "An uncontrollable overspeeding propeller due to failure in the blower section of the No.2 engine." Events:
Sources:
» Ditch or crash-land?/B.W. Townshend, 1965 (50-54)
» ICAO Accident Digest No.14 Volume I, Circular 71-AN/63 (67-70)
Photos
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).
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.
