Douglas DC-3 accident near Beluga, Alaska, March 1, 2006
On March 1, 2006 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Douglas DC-3, registered N777YA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beluga, Alaska (Beluga airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from trees on final approach, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 2006 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Beluga, Alaska · Beluga · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-3 · all DC-3s on the register
- Registration
- N777YA · no longer on the register · serial 25634
- 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 pilot was landing a non-scheduled cargo flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, at a gravel airstrip. While on final approach to land, the airplane struck treetops, but landed safely. The left wing of the airplane received structural damage.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,690 hours in all; 7,250 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 14,600 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days; 1,350 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,659 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 26,900 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney 1830-92 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Transnorthern Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: PANC Anchorage AK at 9:00 pm
- Destination: PABG Beluga AK
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 N777YA 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.