- Date
- July 31, 2019, 17:55 local (Aug 1, 2019, 01:55 UTC)
- Place
- Kenai, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N59314Douglas DC3C
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing area undershoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190731013059A
- Case key
- 100054
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach path in gusting crosswind wind conditions, which resulted in landing short of the runway and impact with a ditch and runway light.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during the approach, the airplane encountered a downdraft, and the tailwheel landed short of the runway threshold, struck a ditch, and impacted a runway light. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the 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 the wind was a "22+ knot front left quartering crosswind and gusting."
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during approach, he encountered a downdraft and the tailwheel landed short of the runway threshold, struck a ditch, and impacted a runway light. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the 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 the wind was a "22+ knot front left quartering crosswind and gusting."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N59314
- Reported as
- Douglas DC3C (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12363
- Built
- 1943
- Airframe hours
- 24,287.7
- Engines
- P&W R-1830-90D, 1,200 horsepower, reciprocatingP&W R0-01830-92, 1,200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Bush Air Cargo, Inc., doing business as Bush Air Fuel
- Registered owner
- Tiernan, Barton M.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- ENA · Kenai, AK
- Destination
- 3AK5 · Kenai, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR/IFR
- Airport
- 3AK5 · Drift River, runway 23, 4,100 × 150 ft, gravel
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 28, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 7,000 as pilot in command · 75 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 29, 2019
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 7,100 total · 4,590 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 16 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- PAEN, 27 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 24, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N59314 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.