Tatonduk Outfitters DC6 at Candle on Aug 1st 2019, struck a berm on approach
Last Update: October 12, 2021 / 18:31:58 GMT/Zulu time
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Aug 1, 2019
Classification
Accident
Airline
Tatonduk Outfitters
Flight number
VTS-25
Departure
Fairbanks, United States
Destination
Candle, United States
Aircraft Registration
N451CE
Aircraft Type
DOUGLAS Liftmaster
ICAO Type Designator
DC6
The FAA reported there were no injuries, the aircraft however received substantial damage when the aircraft struck a berm while inbound to land and damaged the landing gear.
No weather data are available for Candle (FAA ID: AK75).
On Aug 16th 2019 the NTSB reported the occurrence was rated an accident and is being investigated by the NTSB. The NTSB wrote:
On August 1, 2019, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a Douglas C-118A (DC-6A) airplane, N451CE, sustained substantial damage while landing at Candle 2 Airport (AK75), Candle, Alaska. The airplane was registered to Tatonduk Outfitters Limited and operated by Everts Air Cargo as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 supplemental air-cargo flight when the accident occurred. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The airline transport pilot certificated captain, airline transport pilot certificated first officer, and certificated flight engineer were not injured. The flight departed Fairbanks, Alaska about 1140.
According to the captain, after overflying AK75 they entered the traffic pattern to land on runway 20. He stated that the approach was steeper than normal due to terrain; however, the sight picture indicated touchdown near the threshold of the 3,880 ft runway. A bump was felt near the threshold during the landing but was not extreme. The airplane's propellers were then put into reverse and the airplane veered to the right. The flight engineer applied asymmetric reverse, in an effort, to correct for the right turning tendency, and the airplane tracked straight for about 2,000 ft before it veered sharply to the right, exited the runway and spun 180°. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. An inspection of the threshold of runway 20 revealed several 4 ft tall piles of rocks and dirt.
The pilot stated there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
The closest weather reporting facility was Buckland Airport (PABL), Buckland, Alaska. At 1356, PABL was reporting, in part: wind 250° at 11 knots, gusting 15 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; few clouds 4,100 ft; temperature 57°F; dew point 39°F; altimeter 30.01 inches mercury.
The NTSB released their final report and the investigation docket concluding the probable cause of the accident was:
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate glidepath during the approach, which resulted in the airplane impacting rocks and dirt at the runway threshold, a separation of the right main landing gear, and a loss of directional control.
The NTSB added to the previous report of 2019:
A video, recorded by a bystander, captured the accident sequence and revealed that the airplane, while on short final approach, was low on the glide path and dragging its landing gear through vegetation located near the approach end of the runway. The video shows that, just before the main landing gear wheels reached the runway threshold, the right main landing wheel impacted a dirt and rock berm. The right main landing gear assembly separated, and the airplane continued straight down the runway before veering to the right, exiting the runway, and spinning about 180°. A copy of the video is included in the public docket for this accident. (editorial note: on Oct 12th 2021 the video was not available in the docket)
Incident Facts
Date of incident
Aug 1, 2019
Classification
Accident
Airline
Tatonduk Outfitters
Flight number
VTS-25
Departure
Fairbanks, United States
Destination
Candle, United States
Aircraft Registration
N451CE
Aircraft Type
DOUGLAS Liftmaster
ICAO Type Designator
DC6
This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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