Cold Bay

A Lockheed Constellation, model L-1049H, N 6911C, owned by The Flying Tiger Line Inc., and being operated under contract with the Military Air Transport Service, crashed during the hours of darkness at Adak, Alaska, March 15, 1962, at 1214 G.m.t. Impact and subsequent fire destroyed the aircraft. There were seven occupants, all crew members. Six received minor injuries and one, the duty flight engineer, was trapped in the cockpit and died in the fire. This was a scheduled cargo flight, designated by the carrier as Flight No. FTL 7816/14. It originated at Travis Air Force Base, California, for Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, with stops planned at Cold Bay, Alaska, Adak, Alaska, and Misawa, Japan. Shortly after departure from Travis Air Force Base, buffeting developed and the aircraft was landed back at Travis. Inspection disclosed an open hydraulic reservoir access door. This was closed and secured and the flight proceeded uneventfully to Cold Bay, Alaska. The flight from Cold Bay to the vicinity of Adak was also uneventful, with the copilot flying the aircraft from the left seat and the captain acting as copilot in the right seat. Instrument weather prevailed at Adak and a ground controlled approach (GCA) was started. The flight was advised several times that it was below the glide slope and then was advised to execute a missed approach. The aircraft’s captain replied that the field was in sight. The approach continued, visually. At a point 328 feet short of the runway threshold and four feet below its level the landing gear struck rocks. The main landing gear was torn off and the aircraft slid about 2,000 feet on the runway coining to rest just off its edge. A severe fire developed.

Flight 3 was a scheduled flight between Anchorage and Shemya, with intermediate stops at Cold Bay and Adak, Alaska. A routine takeoff was made at Cold Bay, and all en route radio reporting points were made to the company within two or three minutes of their estimated times. At 1650LT, the flight reported that it was 100 miles northeast of Adak, at 4,500 feet, on top and in the clear. Flight 3 then estimated it would be over the Adak low frequency range at 1725LT. The flight was cleared to the Adak low frequency range, to maintain VFR on top, and to call Adak approach control when 30 miles out for landing instructions. At 1715LT, the flight advised the company it was canceling its IFR flight plan and was proceeding VFR. Two minutes later Flight 3 attempted to communicate with Adak approach control. Upon hearing this message, approach control called the flight but was unsuccessful. It was later determined that the aircraft had crashed into the northeast side of the Great Sitkin volcano (1,740 meters high) located on the Great Sitkin Island, about 25 miles northeast of Adak Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all 16 occupants have been killed.

Flight 307 departed Vancouver, British Columbia at 1347 Bering standard time en route to Hong Kong, China, with a refueling stop at Cold Bay, Alaska and an intermediate stop at Tokyo, Japan, carrying a crew of 8 and 14 passengers. At 2011 the flight reported 100 miles out, estimating Cold Bay at 2036. It reported being over the Cold Bay range station outbound on a standard instrument approach at 2035, and at 2042 as completing a procedure turn and proceeding inbound. This was the last transmission from the flight. At 2045 the aircraft was observed to descend from the overcast north of the airport for a landing on runway 14 and cross the field at low altitude to the intersection of the two runways. At this point a shallow left turn was started and the aircraft went out of sight southeast of the airport. Shortly afterwards a fire was observed and it was ascertained that the aircraft had crashed. Eleven passengers and 4 crew members were fatally injured. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire.

Following a training mission over the North Pacific Ocean, the crew was returning to Cold Bay Airport when on descent, the airplane hit the slope of a mountain located on the Amak Island, about 20 miles northwest of Cold Bay Airport. All 12 crew members were killed.
Crew:
Edwin Roy Park, pilot,
Robert Wilfred Conklon,
Henry Howard Wood,
Leonard Walter Sexton,
Elnord Ellis Flinkfelt,
Ronald Lee Hunt,
Brook Alton Williams,
Bobby Enloe,
Joseph Dale Whitherspoon,
Edwin Francis Busbi Jr.,
Charles Wyalis Elkins,
William Stuart Wagner.

At 0930, Alaskan Standard Time, 3 October 1945, Lieutenant Commander George Richard SMITH, USN, (82426) Commanding Officer, Patrol Bombing Squadron SIXTY-TWO, took off from Army Air Base, Cold Bay, Alaska, in a PBY-5A airplane on an administrative flight carrying messengers and material to Kodiak, Alaska, for Commandant, SEVENTEENTH Naval District. No other plane accompanied him. At this time, Cold Bay had scattered clouds at 1500 - 2000 feet with higher alto-cumulus at 6000 - 7000 feet. The route forecast gave lowering ceilings to 1000 feet at Chirikof. Terminal forecast for Kodiak gave 500-600 feet ceiling visibility 4 miles in light rain. The flight plan gave Anchorage, Alaska, as alternate airport. The 1330 weather sequency for Anchorage gave an estimated 5000 feet overcast with lower broken clouds at 2000 feet, wind north-northwest six knots, visibility unrestricted. At 1246 Lieutenant Commander SMITH contacted Kodiak Flight Control and reported his position at Black Point Intersection, cruising 3200 feet. Kodiak Flight Control cleared him to Kodiak Range Station to climb 4000 feet and notified him that the present Kodiak ceiling was 500 feet, visibility 2-1/2 miles. This message was acknowledged. At 1252 Kodiak Flight Control cleared him from his present position to Kodiak Range Station for standard instrument approach, final approach on east leg, initial approach at 4000 feet. He acknowledged this message and requested permission for needle approach. Kodiak Flight Control cleared him for needle approach. At 1317 he contacted Kodiak Tower and reported over Point ABLE (Kodiak Range Station) and requested present wind direction and velocity. Kodiak Tower reported wind east-southease 20 knots with gusts to 28. This report was acknowledged. While Lieutenant Commander SMITH was making his needle approach, Kodiak Tower reported to him that visibility was now two miles, bartow lights on runway 25, and that he would be landing with approximately 20 knots downwind. This was acknowledged. The plane was first sighted by the tower operators approximately 1/4 mile north of runway 25 at an altitude of approximately 400 feet. No voice contact was made. He continued downwind on the north side of an paralleling runway 25 in an attempt to land on runway 7. The 400-500 feet ceiling and the hills back of runway 7 made this approach impossible even though he appeared to make an "S" turn in an attempt to get into position for a landing. He continued the traffic circle upwind on the south side of runway 7 for a downwind landing on runway 25. As he flew over the tower at an altitude of approximately 300 feet, he contacted Kodiak Tower and said, "Am going to land on runway 25 this pass." The approach turn was started too soon for a downwind landing and the plane crossed the end of runway 25 at approximately 100 fet and came closest to the runway (estimated 0-10 feet) at approximately 130 feet beyond the intersection of runways 25 and 28. The plane either bounced or was pulled up and a normal power climb was started straight ahead until the end of runway 7 was crossed at which point a steep climbing turn to the left was started. Insufficient altitude was obtained to clear the surrounding hills and the plane crashed from an apparent power on. Immediately after the airplane crashed at 1331, the Kodiak Control Tower Operator sounded the crash alarm and directed the crash truck and fire trucks by radio to proceed to disabled aircraft on hillside at end of runway 7. As the trucks proceeded to the end of runway 7, the Control Tower gave them more specific instructions as to the location of crash stating that the disabled aircraft was on the hillside at the end of runway 7 in back of SeaBee Hill. The trucks were directed up SeaBee Hill to SeaBee buildings then just beyond to the plane on the northeast slope of Old Woman Mountain. The vehicles could proceed to within approximately 150 yards of the crash. From this point a path was made through the thickly-growing scrub trees to the scene. A fire hose was run to the scene from the SeaBee buildings, but was not used since the plane did not burn. Ambulances, doctors, and hospital corps men from the dispensary proceeded to the scene immediately. The first fire and rescue personnel arrived at eh crash at approximately 1340. Personnel from the SeaBee buildings arrived at approximately 1334. The victims were removed as quickly as possible. The plane came to rest on the starboard side of the fuselage. The starboard wing was broken off at the root and was lying parallel to the fuselage. Both engines were broken loose from their mountings and were 20 25 feet from the wreckage, partly buried in the ground. The plane from No. 4 bulkhead forward was completely demolished and was piled in a twisted heap under the wings and cabane section. The starboard wing was broken and twisted about six feet from the wing tip and wa also broken near the center. The port wing was broken off at the root. Little visible damage was done to the fuselage aft of number four bulkhead, except that the tail section was twisted, apparently by being struck by the starboard wing. Both wheels, sidema, and tires appeared to be undamaged. The keep aft of number four bulkhead was undamaged. No evidence of engine failure was observed by the surviving crew members or passengers. Salvage operations carried on until the following day recovering all plane parts and confidential radio equipment. All classified publications and charts were recovered. Examination of the wreckage disclosed no evidence of material failure or sabotage.
Those killed were:
Lt Cdr George Richard Smith,
Lt (jg) John Kenneth McNeil,
Ens Willard Edwin Tostman,
Richard Knightly,
Jewell Franklin,
Roy George Nelson,
Keith Eugene Dugger,
LT Paul Porter Butler.

Enroute from Elmendorf AFB to Adak Island NAS, the aircraft hit a snow covered mountain located in the Cathedral Valley, west off the Mt Pavlof Volcano, some 32 miles northeast of Cold Bay. Both passengers and a crew member were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Joseph R. Alexander, pilot,
2nd Lt Richard L. Cocanour, copilot,
Sgt Paul Sundermier, flight engineer,
Sgt Robert E. Davidson, radio operator. †
Passengers:
Lt Col Stephen G. Davison, †
2nd Lt Ernest T. Johnson. †

Crew left Kodiak NAS around 0800LT on a photography mission to Umnak via Cold Bay. Shortly after take off, pilot decided to return to his base for not having the "proper clearance". On ground, pilot complained about the overload of gas and equipment and left again thirty minutes later. While climbing over the Anton Larsen Bay, aircraft was too low and impacted the Sheratin Mountain, about 150 feet below the summit. Seven crew were killed while one was seriously injured.