Short Brothers SC7 accident near Nunapitchuk, AK
On March 25, 1997, a Short Brothers SC7 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Nunapitchuk, AK. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 25, 1997
- Place
- Nunapitchuk, AK
- Aircraft
- Short Brothers SC7 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 60.881°N, 162.461°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X07468
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 25, 1997, about 1115 Alaska standard time, a Short SC7 airplane, N451SA, and a Cessna 207A airplane, N800GA, collided in mid-air, about 1.49 nautical miles east-northeast of Nunapitchuk, Alaska. The accident location is about 18.3 miles west of Bethel, Alaska. Both airplanes were being operated as visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country positioning flights to Bethel under Title 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. N451SA, registered to and operated by Arctic Circle Air Service Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, and N800GA, registered to and operated by Grant Aviation Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, were destroyed by impact and postimpact fire. The pilots of each airplane, the sole occupants of their respective airplanes, received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. VFR company flight following procedures were in effect for both flights. N451SA departed the village of Nunapitchuk about 1112 for the flight to Bethel. N800GA departed the village of Scammon Bay, Alaska, about 1000 for Bethel. The operators of each airplane reported their respective flights were returning to Bethel after delivering all of their cargo. A ground witness (a pilot for another operator), reported he landed at Nunapitchuk about 1107, and was taxiing to the airport ramp. N451SA was beginning to taxi away from the ramp for departure. The ground witness heard the pilot of N451SA announce his departure intentions from Nunapitchuk on an aircraft radio. N451SA then departed on runway 36. N451SA did not circle over the airport or return to the vicinity of the airport.
Probable cause
inadequate visual look-out by the pilots of both airplanes, which resulted in their failure to see-and-avoid each other's airplanes.
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Browse: Alaska
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
