Douglas DC-6B accident near Selawik, Alaska, March 3, 1992
On March 3, 1992 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Douglas DC-6B, registered N151, was substantially damaged in an accident near Selawik, Alaska (Selawik airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under large-aircraft private carriage rules (Part 125). 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 PILOT'S INADEQUATE PRE FLIGHT PLANNING AND DISREGARDING THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DATA. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE EXTREME OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURES, THE ICY RUNWAY, AND THE TAILWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 1992 · about 10:20 pm local time · cases in 1992
- Place
- Selawik, Alaska · Selawik · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-6B · all DC-6Bs on the register
- Registration
- N151 · registry record · serial 45174
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · large-aircraft private carriage rules (Part 125)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HEAVILY LOADED FUEL TANKER LANDED WITH AN APPROXIMATE 3 KNOT TAILWIND, OVER RAN THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND CAME TO A STOP ON A FROZEN RIVER. THE LAST TWO THIRDS OF THE 3,150 FT LONG GRAVEL RUNWAY WAS COVERED WITH ICE. THE CREW STATED THAT THE PROPELLERS EITHER FAILED TO GO INTO REVERSE, OR WERE SLOW IN REVERSING, TO ASSIST IN STOPPING. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT ALL PROPELLER BLADES WERE IN THE REVERSED POSITION. OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS MINUS 30 TO MINUS 35 DEGREES F. THE AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE CHART USED TO CALCULATE THE LANDING DISTANCE WAS FOR 'CONCRETE RUNWAYS'. STOPPING DISTANCE WAS NOT PREDICATED ON THE USE OF REVERSE PROPELLER THRUST. POST ACCIDENT CALCULATIONS, USING THE SAME CHART, FOUND THE ESTIMATED LANDING DISTANCE NEEDED FOR THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT TO BE 100 TO 200 FT MORE THAN THE LENGTH 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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,800 hours in all; 5,600 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 5,430 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 33,232 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 11, 1992; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 103,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R2800 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 9:00 pm
- Runway 27, 3,150 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: -35°F (-37°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N151 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Douglas DC-6 17 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Douglas 305 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W R2800 173 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Selawik Airport · nearest airport
- Fairbanks International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 826 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,143 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC92LA043.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.