Short Bros. SC7 SERIES 3 incident near Barrow, Alaska, November 1, 1982
On November 1, 1982 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Short Bros. SC7 SERIES 3, registered N50DA, suffered minor damage in an incident near Barrow, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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 incident. 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
- November 1, 1982 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Barrow, Alaska · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Short Bros. SC7 SERIES 3 SC7 SERIES
- Registration
- N50DA · registry record · serial SH-1852
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A ROUND TRIP FLIGHT FROM BARROW, AK TO POINT HOPE, AK AND RETURN. AFTER LANDING AT POINT HOPE, THERE WAS A 20 MIN DELAY WHILE WAITING FOR THE GROUND CREW. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE RAN THE ENGINES FOR SOME 10 MIN OR SO DUE TO THE HIGH WINDS AND COLD. HE STATED THAT THE WIND WAS AVERAGING ABOUT 45 KTS AND WAS TOO STRONG TO MAINTAIN CONTROL ON TOP OF THE AIRCRAFT FOR REFUELING. THE PILOT CALCULATED THAT HE HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH FUEL TO RETURN TO BARROW. WHILE RETURNING, HE FLEW PAST TWO POSSIBLE REFUEL POINTS AND A THIRD PLACE WHERE HE COULD HAVE LANDED. WHILE OVER WATER NEAR HIS DESTINATION, THE LEFT ENGINE FLAMED OUT AND THE PILOT INCORRECTLY SHUT DOWN THE RIGHT ENGINE. HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE RIGHT ENGINE, BUT IT SOON FLAMED OUT ALSO. A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING WAS THEN MADE ON THE TUNDRA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE FLAMED OUT DUE TO LACK OF FUEL.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,300 lb
- Seats: 20
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Airesearch TPE 331-2201A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cape Smythe Air Service INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PHO Point Hope AK at 3:30 pm
- Destination: BRW Barrow AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.