# NTSB ANC98LA055: Douglas DC-3C, N67588, Anchorage, AK, May 24, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 24, 1998, 00:24 local (08:24 UTC) - Place: Anchorage, AK - Coordinates: 61.160427, -149.98999 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1604&lon=-149.9900&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 17, 1999 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 3143 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC98LA055 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3143/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA055 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. A related factor was the soft, marshy terrain at the forced landing area. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - all engines - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - refueling - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Nose down, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) ## Analysis The captain/operator, the first officer and one passenger, departed on a cross-country positioning flight. The airplane contained about 300 gallons of fuel. After 3.9 hours en route, the flight was cleared for a visual approach to the destination airport. During the approach, both engines lost power about 2,000 feet mean sea level. The pilot stated the right fuel tank was empty. He estimated that 50 to 60 gallons of fuel remained in the left fuel tank. While the airplane was descending toward an area of open water, he attempted to restart the engines without success. He then lowered the landing gear, and made a right turn toward a small airstrip, located about 5 miles northwest of the destination airport. The airplane touched down in an area of soft, marsh covered, terrain. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed down and received damage to the forward, lower portion of the fuselage. An inspection of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed the left fuel tank contained about 1 inch of fuel. The right fuel selector was positioned on the right auxiliary fuel tank. The left fuel selector was positioned between the left main, and the left auxiliary fuel tanks. ## Factual narrative On May 24, 1998, about 0024 Alaska daylight time, a Douglas DC-3C cargo airplane, N67588, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing, about 5 miles northwest of Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as an instrument (IFR) cross-country positioning flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Majestic Air Cargo, Anchorage, Alaska. The captain/operator received minor injuries. The first officer, and the one passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. An IFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Unalakleet Airport, Unalakleet, Alaska, about 2030 on May 23, 1998. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on May 24, 1998, at 0915, the pilot reported that prior to departure from Unalakleet, he measured the fuel in the airplane's fuel tanks. The total amount of fuel was 300 gallons. After arriving in the Anchorage area, the flight was cleared for a visual approach to runway 14. During the approach, both engines quit running about 2,000 feet mean sea level. The pilot said the right fuel tank was empty. He estimated that 50 to 60 gallons of fuel remained in the left fuel tank. The pilot attempted to restart the engines without success. The airplane was descending toward open water of the Cook Inlet. The pilot lowered the landing gear, and made a right turn toward a small airstrip, located at Point McKenzie, about 5 miles northwest of Anchorage. The pilot touched down in an area of soft, marsh covered, terrain. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed down and received damage to the forward, lower portion of the fuselage. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector, Anchorage Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), inspected the airplane on May 27, 1998. He reported the right fuel tank was empty. The left fuel tank contained about 1 inch of fuel. The right fuel selector was positioned on the right auxiliary fuel tank. The left fuel selector was positioned between the left main, and the left auxiliary fuel tanks. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N67588](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N67588-2021-06-05), registration cancelled 2021-06-05, S/N 20536, built 1946 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Douglas DC-3C - Registry model: [Douglas DC3C](https://openairdocs.org/model/douglas-dc3c) (registry code 3021457) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-1830 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-1830-series) (registry code 52020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20536 - Airframe hours: 34232 - Engines: P&W 1830-92 1200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Galaxy Air Cargo Inc., doing business as Majestic Air Cargo - Registered owner: Majestic Leasing Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport - Last inspection: AAIP, May 22, 1998, 11 hours before - Departed: UNK, UNALAKLEET, AK - Destination: ANC - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 14,000 total, 7,000 in this make and model, 13,800 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 70 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright - Wind: 180° at 8 knots - Visibility: 40 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: ANC, 5 nm away ## 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 19980524014969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980524014969A), May 24, 1998: Doug DC3C, Anchorage, AK, Substantial damage. Engines quit on approach. Landed in marshy strip and nosed down. Appears fuel exhaustion the problem. (From .4) the certificated commercial pilot was departing… 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.