Curtiss Wright C-46R accident near Kenai, Alaska, July 11, 2024
On July 11, 2024 at about 5:46 pm local time, a 1942 Curtiss Wright C-46R, registered N7848B, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Kenai, Alaska (Kenai Muni airport). It was a business flight under large-aircraft private carriage rules (Part 125). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with birds during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2024 · about 5:46 pm local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · Kenai Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Curtiss Wright C-46R, built 1942 · all C-46Rs on the register
- Registration
- N7848B · registry record · serial 273
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · large-aircraft private carriage rules (Part 125)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during takeoff, as the airplane passed through 150 ft above ground level (agl) several birds impacted the leading edge of the left wing. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the wing structure. The pilot continued the takeoff and entered a left hand traffic pattern and eventually landed back at the airport. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Birdstrike during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 12,000 in this make and model; 330 in the last 90 days; 121 in the last 30 days; 30,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 2, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,047 hours in all; 803 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days; 108 in the last 30 days; 987 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 29, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 50,000 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney R2800-CA18 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whiteny R2800-CA18 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Everts Air Fuel INC
The flight
- Destination: PABG Beluga AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20R, 7,855 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 11.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 9:30 am from PAEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N7848B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ANC24LA066.