# NTSB ANC06IA054: McDonnell Douglas MD-83, N949AS, Fairbanks, AK, May 18, 2006 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: May 18, 2006, 14:27 local (22:27 UTC) - Place: Fairbanks, AK - Coordinates: 64.800003, -147.850006 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.8000&lon=-147.8500&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 145 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 27, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Alaska Airlines - NTSB case key (mKey): 63711 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC06IA054 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63711/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC06IA054 ## Probable cause The flightcrew's delayed go-around during an unstabilized approach to land, which resulted in dragging a wingtip on the runway during the go-around. A factor associated with the incident was the flightcrew's unstabilized approach. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Dragged wing,rotor,pod,float or tail/skid, go-around (vfr) - go-around - delayed, flightcrew (cause) - continued, flightcrew (contributing factor) - terrain condition - runway ## Analysis A McDonnell Douglas MD-83 airplane sustained minor damage to the right wingtip while landing, following an unstabilized approach. The captain reported that the first officer was initially flying a VOR approach to runway 19R, which requires a left turn to align the airplane with the runway centerline before touchdown. During the initial part of the approach, intermittent instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed, but as the approach continued, the airplane descended below the scattered cloud deck, and entered visual meteorological conditions. The captain said that the first officer asked if he could continue the VOR approach to runway 19R for proficiency proposes, and the captain agreed. As the airplane continued towards the airport, the captain noticed that the precision approach path indicator lights for runway 19L appeared to be on full bright. The captain's written statement to the NTSB stated, in part: "The first officer initially saw runway 19L while still above the MDA [minimum descent altitude] and 3 miles from the field. I pointed out runway 19R. While maneuvering to line up on the runway, we overshot." As the airplane passed over the approach end of the runway, it was to the left of the runway centerline, and the first officer applied right aileron control to correct the misalignment. The captain then gave the order to go-around, and takeoff engine power was applied, but the airplane's descent continued, and the right wing struck the runway as the main landing gear wheels contacted the runway. There were no preincident mechanical anomalies reported by the operator or flightcrew. ## Factual narrative On May 18, 2006, about 1427 Alaska daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 airplane, N949AS, sustained minor damage to the right wingtip while landing at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska. The flight was being conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 121, as a scheduled domestic passenger flight, operated by Alaska Airlines, Inc., as Flight 99. There were no injuries to the two pilots, three flight attendants, or the 140 passengers aboard. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight plan had been filed for the flight from Anchorage, Alaska. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge on May 22, the captain reported that the first officer was initially flying a VOR approach to runway 19R. During the initial part of the approach, intermittent instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed, but as the approach continued, the airplane descended below the scattered cloud deck, and entered visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The captain said that the first officer asked if he could continue the VOR approach to runway 19R for proficiency proposes, and the captain agreed. He said that as the airplane continued towards the airport, he noticed that the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights for runway 19L appeared to be on full bright. The captain also noted that the VOR approach to runway 19R has a 30-degree offset from the runway centerline, which requires a left turn to align the airplane with the runway centerline before touchdown. According to the captain's written statement included with the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) submitted by the operator, the captain wrote, in part: "The first officer initially saw runway 19L while still above the MDA [minimum descent altitude] and 3 miles from the field. I pointed out runway 19R. While maneuvering to line up on the runway, we overshot." The captain said that as the airplane passed over the approach end of the runway, it was to the left of the runway centerline, and the first officer applied right aileron control to correct the misalignment. The captain then gave the order to go-around, and takeoff engine power was applied, but the airplane's descent continued, and the right wing struck the runway as the main landing gear wheels contacted the runway. The flight crew was initially unaware that the wing had struck the runway until a flight attendant, seated in the rear of the airplane, informed them. After the go-around, the flight crew declared an emergency, and made an uneventful landing on runway 19R. There were no preincident mechanical anomalies reported by the operator or flightcrew. The closest official weather observation station is located at the Fairbanks International Airport. On May 18, at 1353, an Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was reporting in part: Sky conditions and ceiling, 2,300 feet broken, 4,800 feet broken, 10,000 feet broken; visibility, 10 statute miles; wind, 250 degrees at 6 knots; temperature, 50 degrees F; dew point 43 degree F. ## Aircraft - Registration: N949AS (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: McDonnell Douglas MD-83 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 53022 - Airframe hours: 49765.4 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217A 20000 lbs thrust turbo fan - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Alaska Air Group, doing business as Alaska Airlines - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Bank NW - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, May 1, 2006, 135 hours before - Departed: ANC, Anchorage, AK - Destination: FAI, Fairbanks, AK - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: FAI, Fairbanks Intl, runway 19R, 11,800 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: none; flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 10,329 total, 4,583 in this make and model, 168 in the last 90 days - Co-pilot; age 48; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 1, 2005; seat: right; flight hours: 9,190 total, 6,344 in this make and model, 159 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,300 ft broken - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: FAI ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20060518009919I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060518009919I), May 18, 2006: Doug DC983, Fairbanks, AK, Minor damage. (-23) [privacy data omitted] f/o was pilot flying, approach became unstable, aircraft lined up left of runway, go around was commanded by PIC, during go around… 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.