Amateur-built DHC-6-300 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, May 25, 1999
On May 25, 1999 at about 8:05 am local time, a amateur-built DHC-6-300, registered N72GC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Anchorage International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with a bird.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1999 · about 8:05 am local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Anchorage International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-6-300
- Registration
- N72GC · no longer on the register · serial 264
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A twin engine turboprop airplane had been cleared for landing, and was on the downwind portion of a scheduled Title 14 CFR Part 121 flight during night visual meteorological conditions. The airplane was about 1,800 feet msl, about 2 miles southwest of the destination airport that is located in a coastal area. The flight crew briefly observed several birds, and then felt an impact. Upon landing, damage to the leading edge of the left wing was discovered. Small portions of a bird were found on the leading edge. The crew could not identify the size and type of bird. Examination of the damage to the wing revealed denting of the leading edge, and wrinkling of the upper wing surface about 4 feet inboard from the left wing tip. An internal examination of wing disclosed two broken nose ribs. Forensic examination of biological material taken from the airplane's wing was conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The material was identified as a Common Eider.
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, commercial pilot
- 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: 4,150 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 2,050 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 33,471 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 18, 1999; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 20
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Era Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PAEN Kenai AK at 2:48 am
- Destination: PANC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from PAN, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N72GC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.