What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) While landing at Port Alsworth on runway 05 the crew noticed a small bull dozer parked on the overrun, on the approach end of the runway, just off to the side. The wind was gusting to about 20-30 knots, 30 degrees off the runway heading. The ride was a little turbulent and bumpy. On very short final the pilot felt a bump in the airframe on the left side that did not feel normal. He immediately reduced power and forced the aircraft onto the ground. The copilot noticed that pilot had to use a lot of rudder to control the aircraft on landing and the landing was much harder than normal. It was then discovered that part of the left outboard wing was missing. Upon inspection it was determined that 14 feet of the wing was missing. The wing had been severed by a long medal pole attached to the bull dozer setting near the end of the gravel runway. The crew could not see the pole, as it was angled towards them from the dozer, before it cut the wing off. Crew drug and alcohol testing was completed. All results were negative.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) WHILE LANDING AT PORT ALSWORTH ON RUNWAY 05 THE CREW NOTICED A SMALL BULL DOZER PARKED ON THE OVERRUN, ON THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, JUST OFF TO THE SIDE. THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO ABOUT 20-30 KNOTS, 30 DEGREES OFF THE RUNWAY HEADING. THE RIDE WAS A LITTLE TURBULENT AND BUMPY. ON VERY SHORT FINAL THE PILOT FELT A BUMP IN THE AIRFRAME ON THE LEFT SIDE THAT DID NOT FEEL NORMAL. HE IMMEDIATELY REDUCED POWER AND FORCED THE AIRCRAFT ONTO THE GROUND. THE COPILOT NOTICED THAT PILOT HAD TO USE A LOT OF RUDDER TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT ON LANDING AND THE LANDING WAS MUCH HARDER THAN NORMAL. IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THAT PART OF THE LEFT OUTBOARD WING WAS MISSING. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT 14 FEET OF THE WING WAS MISSING. THE WING HAD BEEN SEVERED BY A LONG MEDAL POLE ATTACHED TO THE BULL DOZER SETTING NEAR THE END OF THE GRAVEL RUNWAY. THE CREW COULD NOT SEE THE POLE, AS IT WAS ANGLED TOWARDS THEM FROM THE DOZER, BEFORE IT CUT THE WING OFF. CREW DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING WAS COMPLETED. ALL RESULTS WERE NEGATIVE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.