Amateur-built DHC-3 accident near Nome, Alaska, January 28, 1991
On January 28, 1991 at about 5:15 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-3, registered N212NY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nome, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE 1, 2, 6, 7, 8 AND 9 PISTON LINKRODS WHICH WERE BROKEN AT THE MASTER ROD ATTACH END. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1991 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Nome, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-3
- Registration
- N212NY · registry record · serial 330
- 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 CLIMBOUT THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON THE ICE PACK. AFTER REMOVAL OF THE AIRPLANE ENGINE, EXAMINATION REVEALED THE NUMBER 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 PISTON LINKRODS WERE BROKEN AT THE MASTER ROD ATTACH END.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 13,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,210 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 25, 1991; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340-59 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WAA Wales AK at 5:01 pm
- Destination: DIO Little Diomede AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: -15°F (-26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 4 | 5 |
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 ANC91LA022.