# NTSB ANC06LA032: Douglas DC-3, N777YA, Beluga, AK, March 1, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 1, 2006, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC) - Place: Beluga, AK - Coordinates: 55.919281, -159.490249 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=55.9193&lon=-159.4902&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 31, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Anchorage, FSDO-03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 63295 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC06LA032 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63295/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC06LA032 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from trees on final approach, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees. ## Analysis The airline transport pilot was landing a non-scheduled cargo flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, at a gravel airstrip. While on final approach to land, the airplane struck treetops, but landed safely. The left wing of the airplane received structural damage. ## Factual narrative On March 1, 2006, about 1800 Alaska standard time, a Douglas DC-3 airplane, N777YA, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with trees on final approach to the Beluga Airport, Beluga, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Transnorthern Aviation Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) non-scheduled cargo flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airline transport certificated pilot, and the first officer were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company VFR flight following procedures were in effect. The flight departed the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, about 1700. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on March 3, an FAA principal operations inspector said he had found an airplane with extensive left wing leading edge damage at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. He said the operator told him the damage occurred while the pilot was landing at the Beluga Airport, on March 1. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on March 3, a representative of the operator said the pilot reported striking trees at the approach end of the runway during landing. She said the airplane landed without incident, and the pilot subsequently flew the airplane to Anchorage. In a written statement to the NTSB dated March 2, the pilot confirmed that the airplane struck treetops on final approach to the Beluga Airport, but landed safely. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - object - tree(s) - altitude/clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N777YA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N777YA-2018-03-20), registration cancelled 2018-03-20, S/N 25634, built 1944 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Douglas DC-3 - Registry model: [Douglas DC3C](https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc3c) (registry code 3021455) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-1830-92) (registry code 51627, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25634 - Airframe hours: 25659 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney 1830-92 1200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Transnorthern Aviation Inc., doing business as Transnorthern Aviation - Registered owner: Bush Air Cargo Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, February 1, 2006 - Departed: PANC, Anchorage, AK - Destination: PABG, Beluga, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: PABG, Beluga, runway 36, 5,000 × 100 ft, snow ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 14,690 total, 7,250 in this make and model, 14,600 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 40; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 1, 2005; seat: right; flight hours: 1,400 total, 30 in this make and model, 1,350 as pilot in command, 107 in the last 90 days, 76 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none ## 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 20060301003409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060301003409A), Mar 1, 2006: Doug DC3C, Beluga, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft struck some trees while on short final during an VFR approach to the Beluga airstrip, Beluga, AK. The left wings leading edge sustained damage.… ## Other investigations on N777YA (2) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC09LA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC09LA064), Jul 7, 2009: Douglas DC-3C (N777YA), Skwentna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A fracture of the airplane's tailwheel shock absorber linkage during taxi, resulting in the collapse of the tailwheel. - [NTSB ANC86LA015](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC86LA015), Dec 16, 1985: Douglas DC-3C (N777YA), Dillingham, AK, substantial damage From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; 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.