Date & Time:
Jan 17, 2007 at 1550 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas C-54 Skymaster
Operator:
Registration:
N82FA
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Fairbanks - Nixon Fork Mine
MSN:
35960
YOM:
1945
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
1550
Copilot / Total hours on type:
61
Aircraft flight hours:
28933
Circumstances:
The flight crew was delivering a cargo of fuel in the four-engine airplane under Title 14, CFR Part 125, when the airplane lost power in the number 2 engine. The captain elected to shut the engine down and return to the airport. He said during the shutdown procedure, the engine caught fire, and that the fire extinguishing system was activated. The crew thought the fire was out, but it erupted again, and the captain elected to land the airplane gear-up on the snow covered tundra. Once on the ground, the left wing was consumed by fire. An inspection by company maintenance personnel revealed that an overhauled engine cylinder had failed at its base, resulting in a fire. The airplane was not examined by the NTSB due to its remote location.
Probable cause:
The failure of an engine cylinder during cruise flight, which resulted in an in-flight fire, and subsequent emergency gear-up landing on snow-covered tundra. A factor in the accident was the failure of the fire suppression equipment to extinguish the fire.
Final Report:
N82FA_0.pdf92.9 KB
