Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander accident near Klawock, Alaska, April 6, 2005
On April 6, 2005 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander, registered N29884, was substantially damaged in an accident near Klawock, Alaska (Klawock airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fracture of the aluminum alloy landing gear bracket assembly, which resulted in a loss of control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 2005 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Klawock, Alaska · Klawock · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander · all BN-2A Islanders on the register
- Registration
- N29884 · no longer on the register · serial 847
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport certificated pilot was landing a twin-engine airplane on a paved runway. The flight was conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 135, as a scheduled domestic passenger flight. The pilot reported that during the landing roll he noted a significant airframe vibration, and a pronounced rumbling noise as the airplane slowed. As he applied the brakes, the airplane veered to the left, and he was unable to keep the airplane on the runway. The airplane continued off the left side of the runway, and the nose of the airplane struck a drainage ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. During a postaccident inspection, maintenance personnel discovered a broken aluminum alloy landing gear oleo attachment bracket on the left main landing gear strut assembly. Operators that use the aluminum alloy landing gear oleo attachment brackets are required to conduct recurring inspections every 500 hours, or every 1,200 landings, which ever occurs first. According to the FAA airworthiness inspector that inspected the accident airplane's maintenance records, the aluminum alloy oleo attachment bracket was last inspected about 101.0 hours, and 218 landings before the accident. The FAA inspector commented that there was a substantial accumulation of dirt, grease, and oil on and around the broken oleo attachment bracket.
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 sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 12,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,145.9 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 1, 2005; 25.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4CS (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: L A B Flying Service INC
The flight
- Departed from: PAKT Ketchikan AK at 5:00 pm
- Destination: PAKW Klawock AK
- Runway 02, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from PAKW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.