Curtis-Wright C46A accident near Kenai, AK
On December 20, 2000, a Curtis-Wright C46A (airplane) was involved in an accident near Kenai, AK. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 20, 2000
- Place
- Kenai, AK
- Aircraft
- Curtis-Wright C46A · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 60.363°N, 152.617°W
- NTSB ID
- 20010110X00083
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 20, 2000, about 1620 Alaska standard time, a Curtis-Wright C46A airplane, N1419Z, operated by Everts Air Fuel, inc., under 14 CFR part 125, was destroyed when it collided with mountainous terrain, about 43 miles southwest of Kenai, Alaska, at 60.2179 degrees north latitude, and 152.3701 west longitude. The two commercial certificated flight crew members, the only people aboard, were fatally injured. The flight originated at Kenai, and was scheduled to return to Kenai, with intermediate stops at Big River Lakes, and Nondalton, Alaska. The purpose of the flight was to deliver fuel. The flight departed Nondalton about 1540, en route to Kenai. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at Kenai and Nondalton at the time of the accident; however, witnesses described deteriorating weather conditions, low clouds, visibility less than a mile, and 50-60 knot surface winds in the general vicinity of the accident site. A VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was reported overdue when it failed to return to Kenai, and a search was initiated by the Alaska Air National Guard on December 20. A radar target track identified an aircraft departing Nondalton about the time of accident airplane, with the radar track terminating near where the airplane was eventually located. Dark night, low clouds, and mountain cloud obscuration at the crash site precluded searchers from reaching the area of the crash site. The fragmented wreckage was located on December 21, about 1320, near the crest of a 2,900 feet msl mountain. According to rescue personnel, it appeared that
Probable cause
The flight crew's decision to continue VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions. Factors associated with the accident are high winds, turbulence, and low ceilings.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
