# Accident 19980731023929A: Doug DC3C, Anchorage, AK, July 31, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 31, 1998, 15:26 local time - Place: Anchorage, AK - Airport: Anchorage International - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Operator: GX7C - Location: 61.1602° N, 149.9904° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1602&lon=-149.9904&mi=10 - Aircraft: N305SF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N305SF) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Douglas DC3C (registry code 3021457, https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc3c) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1830 series (registry code 52020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-1830-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DOUG DC3C - Reported engine: PWA R183092 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 14,000 total, 7,000 in this make and model, 300 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC98LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA114) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980731023929A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. LANDING TAILWHEEL CASTING SEPERATED. DAMAGED TAIL CONE AN ATACHMENT BULKHEAD.(.4) ON JULY 31, 1998, AT 1526 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A DOUGLAS DC-3C AIRPLANE, N305SF, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING LANDING ON RUNWAY 32 AT ANCHORAGE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. THE TWO PILOTS, THE ONLY OCCUPANTS, WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AS A REPOSITIONING FLIGHT BY GALAXY AIR CARGO, INC., OF ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND A COMPANY VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED NONDALTON, ALASKA, AT 1400 FOR ANCHORAGE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING A NORMAL WHEEL LANDING, AFTER LOWERING THE TAIL AT SLOW SPEED, THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT, AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY EDGE. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN TAXIED TO THE RAMP. THE TAIL CONE WAS DRAGGED ON THE RUNWAY, DAMAGING THE TAIL CONE ATTACHMENT BULKHEAD. POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED TWO STRINGERS IN THE TAILWHEEL AREA REQUIRING REPAIR. THE TAILWHEEL WAS OFFSET TO THE LEFT OF THE FUSELAGE, AND THE TAILWHEEL FORK ASSEMBLY CASTING WAS FOUND FRACTURED. INSPECTION OF THE TAILWHEEL FORK AT THE NTSB METALLURGICAL LAB REVEALED OVERSTRESS SEPARATIONS WITH NO EVIDENCE OF PREEXISTING CRACKING. THE AIRPLANE, AND THE TAILWHEEL FORK ASSEMBLY HAD BOTH ACCUMULATED 29, 857 HOURS IN OPERATION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. (-23) ON JULY 31, 1998 AT 1526 ALASKA DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME, A DOUGLAS DC-3C AIRPLANE, N305SF, SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE DURING LANDING ON RUNWAY 32 AT ANCHORAGE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. THE TWO PILOTS, THE ONLY OCCUPANTS, WERE NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AS A REPOSITIONING FLIGHT BY GALAXY AIR CARGO, INC. OF ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING LANDING, THE TAIL WHEEL CASTING (YOKE) SEPARATED, DRAGGING THE TAIL CONE AND DAMAGING THE TAIL CONE ATTACHMENT BULKHEAD. CONTINUING INVESTIGATION, INFORMATION WILL BE FORWARDED WHEN RECEIVED. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC98LA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA114), Jul 31, 1998: Douglas DC-3C (N305SF), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, and the resulting overload fracture of the tailwheel fork assembly. ## Other reports on N305SF (4) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19920105001739I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920105001739I), Jan 5, 1992: Doug DC3C (N305SF), Billings, MT. NR2 engine failed on climb. Returned. Landed safely. Found engine master link connecting rod failed. - [Incident 19910214008699I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910214008699I), Feb 14, 1991: Doug DC3C (N305SF), Billings, MT, Minor damage. Shut NR1 engine down and returned to airport. NR4 cylinder head had cracked and lost all oil pressure. - [Incident 19891028064699I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891028064699I), Oct 28, 1989: Doug DC3C (N305SF), Salt Lake City, UT, Minor damage. Encountered wind gust on landing. Wing tip touched runway. Made a go around. Landed with incident. - [Incident 19890403019369I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890403019369I), Apr 3, 1989: Doug DC3C (N305SF), Missoula, MT, Minor damage. Experienced duck strike on descent. Co-pilots windshield broke and he received facial injuries. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.