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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1995 · about 9:00 pm local time · cases in 1995
- Place
- Kivalina, Alaska · Kivalina · cases near this airport · 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 |
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
- N898AL on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Douglas C-54 7 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Douglas 305 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W R-2000 4 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Kivalina Airport · nearest airport
- Edward G Pitka SR Airport · 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/ANC95LA046.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.