Douglas C-54GDC accident near Point Lay, Alaska, October 9, 1993
On October 9, 1993 at about 1:35 am local time, a Douglas C-54GDC, registered N811E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Point Lay, Alaska (Point Lay 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 PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO PERFORM PROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING BY NOT COMPUTING THE REQUIRED LANDING RUNWAY LENGTH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 1993 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Point Lay, Alaska · Point Lay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas C-54GDC · all C-54GDCs on the register
- Registration
- N811E · registry record · serial 36080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CAPTAIN STATED THERE WERE NO RUNWAY CONDITION REPORTS AND A LOCAL CONTACT STATED THE RUNWAY WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. THEY LANDED AND THE BRAKING ACTION WAS NIL. THE CAPTAIN MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE TO A DRY PATCH OF DIRT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. WHEN THE MAIN GEAR ROLLED ONTO THE DRY PATCH THE AIRPLANE VEERED SHARPLY TO THE LEFT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. BOTH CREWMEMBERS STATED A GO AROUND WAS NOT POSSIBLE. ACCORDING TO LANDING PERFORMANCE CHARTS, THE MINIMUM LANDING RUNWAY LENGTH WAS 4500 FEET ON A DRY HARD SURFACE RUNWAY. THE ACTUAL RUNWAY LENGTH WAS 3500 FEET.
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 instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 2,400 in this make and model; 19,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 28,585 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 4, 1994; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 66,700 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R2000-4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAI Fairbanks AK at 3:00 pm
- Runway 23, 3,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°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.