Mcdonnell Douglas MD-83 incident near Fairbanks, Alaska, May 18, 2006
On May 18, 2006 at about 10:27 pm local time, a Mcdonnell Douglas MD-83, registered N949AS, suffered minor damage in an incident near Fairbanks, Alaska (Fairbanks Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 145 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flightcrew's delayed go-around during an unstabilized approach to land, which resulted in dragging a wingtip on the runway during the go-around. A factor associated with the incident was the flightcrew's unstabilized approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2006 · about 10:27 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Fairbanks Intl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 145 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-83
- Registration
- N949AS · no longer on the register · serial 53022
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A McDonnell Douglas MD-83 airplane sustained minor damage to the right wingtip while landing, following an unstabilized approach. The captain reported that the first officer was initially flying a VOR approach to runway 19R, which requires a left turn to align the airplane with the runway centerline before touchdown. During the initial part of the approach, intermittent instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed, but as the approach continued, the airplane descended below the scattered cloud deck, and entered visual meteorological conditions. The captain said that the first officer asked if he could continue the VOR approach to runway 19R for proficiency proposes, and the captain agreed. As the airplane continued towards the airport, the captain noticed that the precision approach path indicator lights for runway 19L appeared to be on full bright. The captain's written statement to the NTSB stated, in part: "The first officer initially saw runway 19L while still above the MDA [minimum descent altitude] and 3 miles from the field. I pointed out runway 19R. While maneuvering to line up on the runway, we overshot." As the airplane passed over the approach end of the runway, it was to the left of the runway centerline, and the first officer applied right aileron control to correct the misalignment. The captain then gave the order to go-around, and takeoff engine power was applied, but the airplane's descent continued, and the right wing struck the runway as the main landing gear wheels contacted the runway. There were no preincident mechanical anomalies reported by the operator or flightcrew.
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 engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,329 hours in all; 4,583 in this make and model; 168 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: August 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,190 hours in all; 6,344 in this make and model; 159 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: October 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 49,765.4 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 1, 2006; 135 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 161,000 lb
- Seats: 145
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-217A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alaska Air Group
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK at 4:40 pm
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 19R, 11,800 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from FAI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 140 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N949AS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.