Boeing 727-100 accident near Kotzebue, Alaska, February 14, 2002
On February 14, 2002 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Boeing 727-100, registered N190AJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kotzebue, Alaska (Ralph Wien Memorial airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to continue an unstabalized approach to landing. A factor associated with the accident is the pilot's failure to attain proper alignment with the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 2002 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kotzebue, Alaska · Ralph Wien Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 727-100 · all 727-100s on the register
- Registration
- N190AJ · no longer on the register · serial 18878
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the base to final leg of the circle to land approach, the pilot overshot the centerline of the runway. On short final and at a low altitude, the pilot still had not attained alignment with the centerline of the runway. The pilot made a left turn, and then a right turn, attempting to align the airplane with the runway. During the right turn, he dragged the right wing on the snow-covered ground, damaging the outboard leading-edge slat.
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, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,018 hours in all; 1,848 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 27, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model
- Last flight review: December 5, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 74,093 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 2, 2002; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 170,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-7B (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAFA Fairbanks AK
- Destination: PAOT Kotzebue AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 08, 5,900 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.27 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 |
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.