Douglas DC-6B accident near Nuiqsut, Alaska, September 26, 2001
On September 26, 2001, a Douglas DC-6B, registered N867TA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nuiqsut, Alaska (Alpine Airstrip airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flightcrew's continued use of an unstabilized GPS approach. Factors associated with the accident were low ceilings, and the inadequate coordination between the crew.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 2001
- Place
- Nuiqsut, Alaska · Alpine Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-6B · all DC-6Bs on the register
- Registration
- N867TA · no longer on the register · serial 45202
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The crew was conducting a GPS instrument approach in a Douglas DC-6B airplane under IFR conditions. Both pilots were certificated and type-rated in the Douglas DC-6B airplane. The first pilot, seated in the right seat, was one of the company's senior check airman, and possessed a right seat dependency endorsement. The second pilot, seated in the left seat, had less experience in the DC-6B airplane. It had been previously agreed that the second pilot would fly the leg of the flight on which the accident occurred. The first pilot reported that light snow showers were present, with visibility reported at 4 miles. During final approach as the airplane passed over the airstrip threshold, a higher than normal sink rate was encountered. He said that the initial touchdown was "firm," but was thought to be within acceptable tolerances. Just after touchdown, the left wing broke free from the airplane at the wing to fuselage attach point. The airplane veered to the left, continued off the left side of the 5,000 feet long by 75 feet runway, down an embankment, and came to rest in an area of wet, tundra-covered terrain. A postcrash fire heavily damaging the center section of the fuselage. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) revealed that as the airplane progressed along the approach, the first pilot says: "You're only one mile from it....Take it on down ah three." As the airplane passes over the runway threshold, the first pilot says: "Keep that, keep that (expletive) power off.... Just push forward on the nose." The sound of impact is heard 4 seconds later. The minimum descent altitude (MDA) for the approach is 400 feet msl (383 feet agl). A contract weather observer reported lower ceilings, with about 1 mile visibility, over the approach end of the runway at the same time as the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all; 14,000 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 17, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,100 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 202 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 2,900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 9, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Flight Engineer
- Certificate: flight engineer, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 70,754 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 21, 2001; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 103,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-2800-CB3 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PASC Deadhorse AK at 6:44 pm
- Destination: PALP Nuiqsut AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.59 inHg
- Observation at 7:09 pm from PALP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC01LA146.