# NTSB ANC21LA001: Douglas C54, N96358, Yakataga, AK, October 10, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 10, 2020, 15:44 local (23:44 UTC) - Place: Yakataga, AK - Coordinates: 59.9935, -141.84587 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.9935&lon=-141.8459&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 102137 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC21LA001 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102137/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102137 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC21LA001 ## Probable cause The pilots’ decision to land on a wet, soft runway, which resulted in the loss of braking action upon landing and a subsequent runway overrun and nose landing gear collapse. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Douglas C54E-DC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=3021528), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: surface speed/braking](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible; cases with it: [Douglas C54E-DC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045/cases.md?model=3021528), [All aircraft, 238 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062045/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: soft surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Douglas C54E-DC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md?model=3021528), [All aircraft, 264 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: wet surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Douglas C54E-DC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023010/cases.md?model=3021528), [All aircraft, 141 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023010/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Copilot; cases with it: [Douglas C54E-DC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=3021528), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of available resources](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063035): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot; cases with it: [Douglas C54E-DC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063035/cases.md?model=3021528), [All aircraft, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063035/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of available resources](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063035): Personnel issues › Task performance · Copilot; cases with it: [Douglas C54E-DC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063035/cases.md?model=3021528), [All aircraft, 41 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063035/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [Douglas C54E-DC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=3021528), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Douglas C54E-DC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=3021528), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot reported that the flight had been delayed for “nearly 2 weeks due to rain” but that the company had contacted their customer, who was a local resident of the area, and he had reported that the landing grass airstrip was “currently dry” and that he was unaware of any NOTAMs reporting that the runway was closed. The pilot reported that, while landing the airplane on the airstrip, the braking action was “zero” along the entire length of the runway. Subsequently, while about 5 knots, the airplane overran the end of the runway, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, during a formal flight brief from a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Service Station (FSS), he and the copilot asked if there was “anything special going on down there” that they should be aware of” but that FSS personnel did not mention any NOTAMs stating that the runway was closed to heavy airplanes nor was it mentioned when they activated the flight plan. However, according to FAA FSS recordings, during the first conversation, the pilot did not ask for any NOTAMs for the airport. During the second conversation, the FSS asked the pilots if they needed any weather information or NOTAMs, and the pilots responded, “no,” and that they “were all good.” A NOTAM had been issued, which stated, in part, that the landing runway was closed to aircraft that weighed more than 5,000 lbs. The airport chart supplement remarks stated, in part, that “the runway was extremely soft when wet…Use of heavy aircraft over 4,000 lbs gross not recommended during fall, winter, & spring due to” soft field conditions and rutting.” The pilot reported that the airplane’s weight was about 62,568 lbs at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N96358](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N96358-2022-05-09), registration cancelled 2022-05-09, S/N 27284, built 1944 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DOUGLAS C54 (EDC) - Registry model: [Douglas C54E-DC](https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-c54e-dc) (registry code 3021528) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-2000 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-2000-series) (registry code 52023, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 27284 - Year built: 1944 - Airframe hours: 33718 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R2000 7M2 1450 horsepower reciprocating; Pratt & Whitney R2000 7M2 1450 horsepower reciprocating; Pratt & Whitney R2000 7M2 1450 horsepower reciprocating; Pratt & Whitney R2000 7M2 1450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Other work use, Part 91 - Operator: Alaska Air Fuel Inc - Registered owner: Alaska Air Fuel Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: AAIP, October 7, 2020 - Departed: PAEN, Kenai, AK - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: 0AA1, Yakataga Airport, runway 8, 4,350 × 75 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 18, 2019; seat: left; flight hours: 17,925 total, 2,163 in this make and model, 13,748 as pilot in command, 207 in the last 90 days, 56 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 59; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 18, 2019; seat: right; flight hours: 8,832 total, 1,964 in this make and model, 2,620 as pilot in command, 207 in the last 90 days, 56 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.27 inHg - Observed at: PACY ## 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 20201010019909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201010019909A), Oct 10, 2020: Douglas C54E-DC, Cape Yakataga, AK, Substantial damage. Cape Yakataga Airport is an FAA owned airport and listed as private in the airport facility directory. The field was notamed closed to aircraft over 5000 lbs… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 19, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102137. 15.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 14.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11535684&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Chart supplement Alaska (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 498 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11535410&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Chart%20Supplement-Rel.pdf - Cyt NOTAM (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11842916&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=CYT%20NOTAM%2010-021-Rel.pdf - Accident pictures (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 574 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11535400&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Pictures-Rel.pdf 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.