Britten-Norman BN-2A accident near Nome, Alaska, July 2, 1982
On July 2, 1982 at about 12:40 pm local time, a Britten-Norman BN-2A, registered N39MN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nome, Alaska (Nome airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1982 · about 12:40 pm local time
- Place
- Nome, Alaska · Nome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Britten-Norman BN-2A · all BN-2As on the register
- Registration
- N39MN · no longer on the register · serial C-566
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, A PROPELLER BLADE TIP FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE LEFT ENGINE. ABOUT 9 INCHES OF THE BLADE TIP SEPARATED AND ENTERED THE TOP SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE ABOUT 1 FT BEHIND THE PILOT'S HEAD. THE BLADE TIP SEVERED THE THROTTLE, FUEL MIXTURE, CARBURETOR HEAT AND PROPELLER CONTROL CABLES TO THE LEFT ENGINE. ALSO, THE AILERON CABLE BECAME JAMMED IN THE FULL LEFT POSITION AND THE RIGHT ENGINE CABLES WERE DAMAGED. REPORTEDLY, THE LEFT ENGINE WENT TO IDLE POWER AND THE PILOT HAD TO SWITCH THE MAGNETOS OFF IN ORDER TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER BLADE (HARTZELL MODEL: HC-C1YK-2CUF, PN FC8477A-4) HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE. THE FATIGUE CRACK ORIGINATED AT A DENT IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE PROPELLER.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,900 hours in all; 593 in this make and model; 328 in the last 90 days; 5,741 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,217 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,700 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Munz Northern Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: OME Nome AK at 8:40 am
- Destination: ELI Elim AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 6,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 127°F (53°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.