# Accident 20021103030509A: Doug C117D, Port Alsworth, AK, November 3, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 3, 2002, 13:10 local time
- Place: Port Alsworth, AK
- Airport: Port Alsworth
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: TN8A
- Location: 60.1833° N, 154.3333° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.1833&lon=-154.3333&mi=10
- Aircraft: N32TN, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N32TN-2018-03-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Douglas C-117D (registry code 3021481, https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-c-117d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Wright R-1820 series (registry code 67020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/wright-r-1820-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DOUG C117D
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC03LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA011) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021103030509A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## 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 ANC03LA011](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC03LA011), Nov 3, 2002: Douglas DC-3 (N32TN), Port Alsworth, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flightcrew's failure to maintain clearance while landing, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a 25-foot high iron mast. Contributing factors were a downdraft, and a 25-foot high iron…

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.

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