Douglas DC-6A accident near Nuiqsut, Alaska, February 25, 1983
On February 25, 1983 at about 4:08 pm local time, a Douglas DC-6A, registered N6587C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nuiqsut, Alaska (Nuiqsut airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- February 25, 1983 · about 4:08 pm local time
- Place
- Nuiqsut, Alaska · Nuiqsut · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-6A · all DC-6As on the register
- Registration
- N6587C · no longer on the register · serial 43579
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CAPTAIN REPORTED THAT THE ACFT MOVED FASTER AT IDLE PWR BECAUSE THE CARGO HAD BEEN OFFLOADED. WHEN HE CHECKED THE BRAKES HALFWAY DOWN THE TAXIWAY HE FOUND THAT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT SLOW THE ACFT ON GLARE ICE AND SNOW. THE FLT ENGINEER BEGAN REVERSING THE PROPELLERS. APPROACHING THE RUNWAY THE ACFT BEGAN TO TURN UNTIL THE NOSE WHEEL BEGAN SKIDDING. THE ACFT WAS STRAIGHTENED OUT BEFORE IT SLID THRU A SNOWBANK INTO A SNOW FILLED DITCH ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 22,260 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 92,600 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-2800-52W (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: FAI Fairbanks AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 30 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: -29°F (-34°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.