Narrative:
A wheel-equipped de Havilland Canada DHC-3 airplane, N3125N, sustained substantial damage when it departed the runway and collided with a ditch during the landing roll at the Wainwright Airport, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country non-scheduled cargo flight, when the accident occurred. The airline transport certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Barrow-Wiley Post/Will Rogers Memorial Airport, Alaska, about 12:00.
The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 23 at Wainwright. The gravel surface runway is 4,494 feet long, and 90 feet wide. The pilot said that during the landing roll, the airplane suddenly veered to the left. He applied right brake and right rudder, but the airplane departed off the left side of the runway, rolled down an embankment, and collided with a ditch. The left main landing gear assembly was fractured and displaced aft, against the fuselage. The propeller, engine, and the left wingtip struck the ground.
On September 20, the chief pilot for the operator reported that after delays in getting recovery equipment to Wainwright, the airplane was recovered and disassembled for removal to Anchorage. The chief pilot indicated that the left aileron received structural damage, and the fuselage firewall had buckling and structural damage.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions during the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of control, and subsequent collision with a ditch when the airplane departed the runway. A factor contributing to the accident was a crosswind."
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Saturday 2 September 2006 |
| Time: | 12:45 |
| Type: |  de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter |
| Operator: | Alaska Air Taxi |
| Registration: | N3125N |
| MSN: | 394 |
| First flight: | 1960 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | Wainwright Airport, AK (AIN) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | Cargo |
| Departure airport: | Barrow-Wiley Post/Will Rogers Memorial Airport, AK (BRW/PABR), United States of America |
| Wainwright Airport, AK (AIN/PAWI), United States of America |
A wheel-equipped de Havilland Canada DHC-3 airplane, N3125N, sustained substantial damage when it departed the runway and collided with a ditch during the landing roll at the Wainwright Airport, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country non-scheduled cargo flight, when the accident occurred. The airline transport certificated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Barrow-Wiley Post/Will Rogers Memorial Airport, Alaska, about 12:00.
The pilot reported that he was landing on runway 23 at Wainwright. The gravel surface runway is 4,494 feet long, and 90 feet wide. The pilot said that during the landing roll, the airplane suddenly veered to the left. He applied right brake and right rudder, but the airplane departed off the left side of the runway, rolled down an embankment, and collided with a ditch. The left main landing gear assembly was fractured and displaced aft, against the fuselage. The propeller, engine, and the left wingtip struck the ground.
On September 20, the chief pilot for the operator reported that after delays in getting recovery equipment to Wainwright, the airplane was recovered and disassembled for removal to Anchorage. The chief pilot indicated that the left aileron received structural damage, and the fuselage firewall had buckling and structural damage.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions during the landing roll, which resulted in a loss of control, and subsequent collision with a ditch when the airplane departed the runway. A factor contributing to the accident was a crosswind."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Runway excursion (veer-off)
Sources:
» NTSBPhotos
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 Barrow-Wiley Post/Will Rogers Memorial Airport, AK to Wainwright Airport, AK as the crow flies is 136 km (85 miles).
Distance from Barrow-Wiley Post/Will Rogers Memorial Airport, AK to Wainwright Airport, AK as the crow flies is 136 km (85 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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