Douglas C54GDC accident near Kivalina, Alaska, April 17, 1995
On April 17, 1995 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Douglas C54GDC, registered N898AL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kivalina, Alaska (Kivalina airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO IDENTIFY A HAZARDOUS LANDING AREA. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT ARE THE PRESENCE OF SNOW BANKS/BERMS ON THE RUNWAY, AND THE INADEQUATE SNOW REMOVAL BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1995 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kivalina, Alaska · Kivalina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas C54GDC · all C54GDCs on the register
- Registration
- N898AL · registry record · serial 35986
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FOUR ENGINE TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANE WAS CARRYING A LOAD OF FUEL OIL FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE VILLAGE OF KIVALINA. THE PILOT REPORTED HE FLEW OVER THE 3,000' LONG BY 60' WIDE STRIP PRIOR TO LANDING, AND NOTED IN THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY SOME GRAVEL WAS VISIBLE THROUGH A LAYER OF SURROUNDING SNOW. HE SAID HE COULD NOT SEE ANY SNOW BANKS OR DEEPER SNOW IN THE LANDING AREA, AND AVAILABLE NOTICES TO AIRMEN DID NOT MENTION ANY SNOW BANKS OR SNOW BERMS ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE LANDED NEAR THE THRESHOLD AND ON THE CENTER LINE, BUT, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SOON ENCOUNTERED A SNOW BERM AND THE AIRPLANE WAS PULLED TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED OTHER SNOW BERMS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S SUPPLEMENT FOR ALASKA AIRPORTS, FOR THE KIVALINA AIRPORT, STATES, IN PART: UNATTENDED. CAUTION: RWY CONDITION NOT MONITORED, RECOMMEND VISUAL INSPECTION PRIOR TO USING.
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; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 66,700 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-2000 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GAL Galena AK
- Destination: KVL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 12, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 10°F (-12°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 ANC95LA046.