Lockheed 188C accident near Cold Bay, Alaska, June 8, 1983
On June 8, 1983 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Lockheed 188C, registered N1968R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cold Bay, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 15 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 1983 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Cold Bay, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 15 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lockheed 188C
- Registration
- N1968R · registry record · serial 2007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CRUISE CLIMB, THE AIRCREW NOTED AN UNUSUAL VIBRATION; HOWEVER, ATTEMPTS TO ISOLATE THE VIBRATION WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. WHILE CLIMBING FROM FL190 TO FL250, THE FLT ENGINEER WENT AFT TO OBSERVE THE ENGS & PROPS, BUT NOTED NOTHING UNUSUAL. A FLT ATTENDANT WENT FORWARD TO ADVISE THE CAPT THAT NOTHING WAS OBSERVED, WHEN THE VIBRATION INCREASED IN INTENSITY. AS SHE LEFT THE COCKPIT, SHE PEERED OUT THE RGT WINDOW & SAW THE #4 PROP SEPARATE & STRIKE THE ACFT. THIS CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE LOWER FUSELAGE & RESULTED IN DECOMPRESSION OF THE CABIN. THE FLT CONTROLS BECAME JAMMED & THE ENGS WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE MOVEMENT. THE AUTOPLT WAS USED FOR MINIMAL CONTROL & THE FLT CREW WERE ABLE TO DIVERT TO ANCHORAGE, AK. THEY WERE ABLE TO CLIMB & DESCEND BY RETRACTING & EXTENDING THE LANDING GEAR WITH THE #2 ENG SHUT DOWN. THE ACFT WAS LANDED SAFETY & THE ENGS WERE SHUT DOWN TO DECELERATE . THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE PROP SEPARATION WAS NOT DETERMINED SINCE IT FELL IN THE OCEAN DURING THE OCCURRENCE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,874 hours in all; 5,711 in this make and model; 133 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 32,994 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 8, 1983; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 116,000 lb
- Seats: 69
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 501-D13 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CDB Cold Bay AK at 4:24 pm
- Destination: SEA Seattle WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 5 | |||
| Passengers | 10 |
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.