# NTSB ANC89FA043: de Havilland DHC-3, N5056Q, Fairbanks, AK, February 10, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: February 10, 1989, 09:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place: Fairbanks, AK
- Coordinates: 64.809936, -147.719604 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=64.8099&lon=-147.7196&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 19, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 5101
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC89FA043
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/5101/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC89FA043

## Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO REMOVE FROST FROM THE AIRCRAFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: IMPROPER WEIGHT AND BALANCE AND SNOW COVERED TERRAIN.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with terrain/water, takeoff - aborted
  - ice/frost removal from aircraft - not performed, pilot in command (cause)
  - aircraft weight and balance - improper, company/operator management (contributing factor)
  - aborted takeoff
  - terrain condition - snow covered (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE PLT RPRTD THAT BEFORE THE FLT, THE WINGS & STABILIZER WERE SWEPT, LEAVING A LAYER OF 'POLISHED' FROST. FREIGHT WAS LOADED & THE ACFT WAS SERVICED TO BRING THE FUEL LEVEL UP TO 120 GAL. AFTER START, TAXI & RUN-UP, THE PLT BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE 10,300 FT RWY (WITH 35' MP & 2250 RPM). AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL, HE ADJUSTED THE POWER (TO 30' MP & 2000 RPM) & RAISED THE FLAPS TO CLIMB AT 82 KTS. HOWEVER, THE ACFT DID NOT CLIMB & WOULD NOT ACCELERATE IN LEVEL FLT. THE PLT INCREASED THE POWER (TO 31' MP & 2100 RPM), BUT HE BELIEVED THERE WAS A DEFINITE LOSS OF POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN THE PLT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF ON SNOW COVERED TERRAIN BEYOND THE END OF THE RWY. NO PRE-ACDNT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND. AN INV REVEALED THE ENTIRE ACFT WAS COVERED WITH A COATING OF FROST. COMPANY RECORDS SHOWED THE EMPTY WEIGHT OF THE ACFT WAS 5088 LBS; THE ACFT'S ACTUAL EMPTY WEIGHT WAS 5285 LBS. AN FAA INSPECTOR CALCULATED THAT THE TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT EXCEEDED THE MAX LIMIT BY 130 LBS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N5056Q (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: de Havilland DHC-3
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 296
- Engines: P&W R-1340-59 600 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Registered owner: 40 Mile Air Ltd
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 20, 1988, 83 hours before
- Departed: FAI, FAIRBANKS, AK
- Destination: EAA, EAGLE, AK
- Flight plan: Company VFR
- Airport: FAI, Fairbanks, runway 1, 10,300 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 41; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 9,153 total, 600 in this make and model, 7,440 as pilot in command, 230 in the last 90 days, 53 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 1 °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 19890210034189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890210034189A), Feb 10, 1989: Dhav DHC3, Fairbanks, AK, Substantial damage. Unable to climb over 300 ft on takeoff. Aborted late and overran the runway,was over gross weight and frost on wings

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.

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