Date & Time:
Jul 6, 1979
Type of aircraft:
Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
Operator:
Registration:
N90269
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Big Creek – King Salmon
MSN:
230
YOM:
1952
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed into the Bering Sea shortly after takeoff from a sand beach at Big Creek. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were injured.
Here is the testimony from Jim Larison who was on board to make a documentary for PBS at the time of the accident:
The C-119 aircraft was attempting to take off, but the aircraft could not make lift off speed in time to avoid having to turn right along the beach. As the pilot attempted to turn right we began sliding sideways. The farther right we turned the more the wind became a factor. The aircraft could not gain sufficient airspeed but the speed was great enough that we were light on our wheels so could not make the turn either. Centrifugal force drove us sideways toward the sea. The pilots straightened it up and tried to lift off but we did not have sufficient airspeed to make it into the air. We went out into the Bering Sea perhaps a quarter mile before stalling. The aircraft crashed into the sea and was torn to pieces. The cockpit ended up underneath the fuselage under about 10 feet of water. I was trapped in the wreckage under the fuselage. The pilot came back into the aircraft and freed me from the wreckage. There was no fire. There were five people on board. Luckily no fatalities but survivors were airlifted to Anchorage for medical care. Aircraft was eventually pulled out of the sea and now rests at the mouth of Big Creek in a sand dune.
Photos James 'Jim' Larson.
Here is the testimony from Jim Larison who was on board to make a documentary for PBS at the time of the accident:
The C-119 aircraft was attempting to take off, but the aircraft could not make lift off speed in time to avoid having to turn right along the beach. As the pilot attempted to turn right we began sliding sideways. The farther right we turned the more the wind became a factor. The aircraft could not gain sufficient airspeed but the speed was great enough that we were light on our wheels so could not make the turn either. Centrifugal force drove us sideways toward the sea. The pilots straightened it up and tried to lift off but we did not have sufficient airspeed to make it into the air. We went out into the Bering Sea perhaps a quarter mile before stalling. The aircraft crashed into the sea and was torn to pieces. The cockpit ended up underneath the fuselage under about 10 feet of water. I was trapped in the wreckage under the fuselage. The pilot came back into the aircraft and freed me from the wreckage. There was no fire. There were five people on board. Luckily no fatalities but survivors were airlifted to Anchorage for medical care. Aircraft was eventually pulled out of the sea and now rests at the mouth of Big Creek in a sand dune.
Photos James 'Jim' Larson.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the accident remains unknown.
