Date & Time:
Mar 3, 1992 at 1820 LT
Type of aircraft:
Douglas DC-6
Operator:
Registration:
N151
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Fairbanks-Selawik
MSN:
45174
YOM:
1957
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
5600
Aircraft flight hours:
33232
Circumstances:
The heavily loaded fuel tanker landed with an approximate 3 knot tailwind, overran the departure end of the runway, and came to a stop on a frozen river. The last two thirds of the 3,150 feet long gravel runway was covered with ice. The crew stated that the propellers either failed to go into reverse, or were slow in reversing, to assist in stopping. Examination revealed that all propeller blades were in the reversed position. Outside air temperature was minus 30 to minus 35° F. The airplane performance chart used to calculate the landing distance was for 'concrete runways'. Stopping distance was not predicated on the use of reverse propeller thrust. Post accident calculations, using the same chart, found the estimated landing distance needed for the accident flight to be 100 to 200 feet more than the length of the runway.
Probable cause:
The pilot's inadequate pre flight planning and disregarding the aircraft performance data. Contributing factors were the extreme outside air temperatures, the icy runway, and the tailwind.
Final Report:
N151.pdf89.86 KB
