Alaska

The flight departed Cold Bay for the approximately 15 minutes flight to False Pass. There are no weather reporting facilities at False Pass. Cold Bay weather was 4,500 feet overcast, light rain and fog; forecast called for frequent ceilings below 1,000 feet. Wreckage located between two mountains. False Pass weather estimated 400 feet overcast, 2-3 miles in rain and fog, winds 25-30 knots. Fishing boat captain in area estimated winds down the mountain at 60 mph or greater.

The pilot reported that the #2 engine began to lose power as he was flying under a low overcast and about 500 feet above the Yukon River. Subsequently, the airplane descended and the fuselage and left propeller contacted the water. With these problems and decreasing visibility ahead, the pilot elected to make a 180° turn. He said that about midway through the turn, the #2 engine lost all power. The airplane then crashed into trees and was destroyed by a post-impact fire. No reason was found for either engine to lose power before water or tree contact.

The pilot received a weather briefing and filed an IFR flight plan from Sitka to Anchorage, Alaska. During takeoff from runway 11 at Sitka, he provided a pirep to the flight service station, saying that he had entered the cloud bases at 700 feet msl. While departing, a left turn was made, and the airplane crashed on Mt Verstovia at the 1420 feet level, approximately 3 miles east of the airport. An on-scene investigation revealed the airplane struck wooded terrain while climbing on a heading of 359°. Several tree limbs had been clean cut (by the propellers); wreckage was spread over a 516 feet area. A standard instrument departure (Sitka 5 sid) was available which would have provided terrain clearance with a right turn-out from runway 11 to an initial climb heading of 280°.

The pilot reported a substantial loss of power while in cruise flight. He was unable to maintain altitude and the aircraft crashed into trees. An examination of the recently overhauled engine revealed a fractured exhaust rocker arm that caused the loss of power.

Two airplanes departed Seward within minutes of each other on a local flightseeing trip, and their flight routes were to be the same. After reaching Aialak Bay, this airplane passed the other and started the return trip to seward. The pass they would normally use was obscured by clouds. The peninsula that separated Aialak Bay and Seward was the only part of land that was obscured by weather. The bases of the clouds were at 1,200 feet msl. The airplane was located on the northeast side, at the 2,700 foot level of a mountain, and the wreckage was scattered along 330°. The pilot had been hired less than 2 months before the accident as a ground handler and fueler, and for pilot training. Two days before the accident he was authorized to fly part 135 flightseeing trips.

The non-scheduled, all cargo, air taxi flight was landing at the mining strip and upon touchdown the pilot-in-command released the yoke with his left hand and grabbed the nose steering tiller. The pilot-in-command stated that before he could apply reverse thrust, the nose of the airplane came up off the ground and the airplane began to veer to the right. He applied left rudder and power to the right engine, but the airplane left the right side of the runway.

On june 2, 1990, at 09:37 Alaskan daylight time, Markair, Inc., flight 3087, a Boeing 737-2X6C, registered in the us as N670MA, crashed about 7.5 miles short of runway 14, Unalakleet, Alaska, while executing a localizer approach to that runway. The flight originated at 0828 at Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, Alaska. Instrument meteorological conditions existed at the time, and the flight was on an IFR flight plan. The captain, the first officer, and a flight attendant sustained minor injuries. Another flight attendant sustained serious injuries. There were no passengers on board, and the aircraft was destroyed. The flight was operated under far part 121.

The scheduled flight's departure from King Cove was delayed due to a passing snow squall. A witness at the airport stated that the weather at the airport was good when the flight departed; however, he noted dark clouds in the direction of Cold Bay, the intended destination of the flight. The airplane did not reach its destination. It was found, where it had impacted terrain near the top of a ridgeline at the 1,250 foot level, between King Cove and Cold Bay. About 8 miles west-northwest at Cold Bay, weather reports indicated there were snow showers of unknown intensity in all quadrants. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft was on an IFR flight from Kenai to the Beluga Airport. The airport did not have an instrument approach procedure, a co-located navaid or a co-located intersection or fix. Reportedly, pilots would routinely file IFR for the route, fly outbound from Kenai for 34.5 miles, then atmt visibility acquisition of the airport. On this flight, ARTCC cleared the pilot to fly direct to the airport at an altitude of 2,000 feet. Before reaching the airport, the pilot acknowledged receipt of a clearance to cruise at 2,000 feet and to report cancellation of IFR, then there was no further communication between ARTCC and the flight. Mode C radar data showed the aircraft descended to 600 feet as it was approaching about 5 miles south of the Beluga Airport. Subsequently, the aircraft flew past the uncontrolled airport and crashed into trees about 8 miles northwest of the airport. Marks on the trees showed the aircraft was in a right descending turn on an easterly heading, when it crashed. Elevation of the crash site was 560 feet. Minimum safe (IFR) altitude for the Beluga Airport area was 2,000 feet. There were indications that the destination weather was below VFR conditions. No preimpact mechanical problem was found that would have resulted in the accident. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Following an uneventful refueling mission, the crew returned to Eielson AFB. After landing, the aircraft was parked on the apron and when the crew shut down the engine, an explosion occurred. The aircraft was totally destroyed by fire and two crew members were killed while five others were rescued.