# NTSB ANC00LA042: Short Brothers SC7, N549WB, Delta Junction, AK, April 5, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 5, 2000, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Delta Junction, AK - Coordinates: 63.700363, -144.889328 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=63.7004&lon=-144.8893&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 50953 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC00LA042 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50953/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC00LA042 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing. Factors associated with the accident were an unfavorable wind, a crosswind, and an inadvertent swerve. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with weather, landing - roll - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - unfavorable wind (contributing factor) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - snowbank ## Analysis During a telephone conversation with an NTSB investigator, the commercial pilot reported that he was landing to the north, which required a correction for a left crosswind. He said that after landing and during the landing roll, a strong gust of wind veered the airplane to the right. He applied left rudder in an attempt to realign the airplane with the airstrip, but was unable to realign the airplane before the airplane's nose wheel struck a snow berm. The pilot related that wind conditions at the time of the accident were from the southwest at 20 knots, with peak gusts to 30 knots, and added that the airstrip was covered with ice. In his written report, dated May 5, 2000, the pilot wrote, in part: 'When landing to the north with a good wind from the north, on the south end of the strip, midway down the strip, the wind changed to the southwest at about 15 to 20 knots, with a very icy runway. I hit the snow berm along side of the runway, and bent the nose gear.' The airplane sustained substantial damage to the nose wheel bulkhead. ## Factual narrative On April 5, 2000, about 1500 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Short Brothers SC7 airplane, N549WB, sustained substantial damage during landing at a remote airstrip, about 46 miles east of Delta Junction, Alaska, at latitude 64 degrees, 27 minutes north, and longitude 144 degrees, 56 minutes west. The flight was being conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 135, as a cargo flight, operated by Allwest Freight, Inc. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the Delta Junction airstrip, about 1445. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on April 6, the pilot reported that he was landing to the north, which required a correction for a left crosswind. He reported that during the landing roll, a strong gust of wind veered the airplane to the right. He said that he applied left rudder in an attempt to realign the airplane with the airstrip, but was unable to realign the airplane before the airplane's nose wheel struck a snow berm. He said that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the nose wheel bulkhead. The pilot related that wind conditions at the time of the accident were from the southwest at 20 knots, with peak gusts to 30 knots, and added that the airstrip was covered with ice. The pilot submitted a written report to the NTSB dated May 5, 2000, and indicated that during the landing roll, the wind shifted. The pilot wrote, in part: "When landing to the north with a good wind from the north, on the south end of the strip, midway down the strip, the wind changed to the southwest at about 15 to 20 knots, with a very icy runway. I hit the snow berm along side of the runway, and bent the nose gear." The pilot said that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N549WB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N549WB), registered now, S/N SH-1911, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Short Brothers SC7 - Registry model: [Short Bros. & Harland SC7 SERIES 3](https://openairdocs.org/model/short-bros-harland-sc7-series-3) (registry code 8100512) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [AiResearch TPE331 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/airesearch-tpe331-series) (registry code 01514, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1911 - Engines: Garrett TPE-331 715 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Allwest Freight, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: D66, DELTA JUNCTION, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: Pogo Mine, runway 36, 1,500 × 75 ft, gravel ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 20,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 20,000 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 20 knots, gusting 30 - Visibility: 40 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 19 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20000405013479A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000405013479A), Apr 5, 2000: Delta Junction, AK, No damage. (-23)1. The runway conditions were snow packed and icy. 2. Weather conditions at the time were gusty and turbulent winds. 3. Directional control of the… 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. --- 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.