Douglas DC-3 accident near Unalaska, AK
On January 24, 2001, a Douglas DC-3 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Unalaska, AK. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 24, 2001
- Place
- Unalaska, AK
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-3 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 53.960°N, 166.621°W
- NTSB ID
- 20010221X00482
Official records · ANC01FA033
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Transcript of Radio Communications: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On January 23, 2001, about 2135 Alaska standard time, a Douglas DC-3 airplane, N19454, was destroyed by impact and postimpact fire after colliding with mountainous terrain, about 4.5 miles northwest of Unalaska, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR), nonscheduled domestic cargo flight, under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Galaxy Air Cargo Inc., doing business as Majestic Air Cargo, Anchorage, Alaska. The captain and the first officer, both airline transport certificated pilots, received fatal injuries. Dark night, visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan was not filed. The flight originated at the Unalaska Airport, about 2130. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the crew of the accident airplane telephoned the Kenai Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) on January 23, at 0807, requesting a weather briefing from Anchorage to Dutch Harbor, Alaska (Unalaska), and indicated the flight anticipated departing Anchorage about 1200, under VFR or instrument flight rules (IFR). The flight service station specialist provided a briefing in which VFR was not recommended due to AIRMETS for IFR conditions, and mountain obscuration along the entire route, conditions that were prevalent on either the Pacific or Bering Sea sides of the Alaska peninsula. The briefing also included low level turbulence, occasional moderate rime icing, wind conditions up to 51 knots, with light rain and snow at Cold Bay, Alaska, and wind conditions up to 28 knots, with light
Probable cause
The airplane flightcrew's failure to maintain adequate distance/altitude from mountainous terrain during a departure climb to cruise flight, and the captain's impairment from drugs. Factors in the accident were dark night conditions, and the first officer's impairment from drugs.
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Browse: Alaska · Douglas aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
