Douglas C 118A incident near Emmonak, Alaska, February 25, 2014
On February 25, 2014 at about 1:42 am local time, a 1954 Douglas C 118A, registered N351CE, suffered minor damage in an incident during after landing near Emmonak, Alaska (Emmonak airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 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 fatigue failure of the lower wing skin due to aging mechanisms. Contributing to the failure were lower wing skin inspection procedures insufficient to identify the crack.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 2014 · about 1:42 am local time
- Place
- Emmonak, Alaska · Emmonak · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas C 118A, built 1954 · all C 118As on the register
- Registration
- N351CE · registry record · serial 44599
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane suffered a crack in the left wing lower skin just inside the left inboard engine nacelle. The crack was discovered by the flight crew during a post flight inspection when they saw fuel streaming from the nacelle area. The incident airplane was manufactured in 1954 and had accrued almost 36,900 flight hours. Examination of the lower wing skin revealed a crack with a total length about 15.5 inches. Two separate regions of pre-exiting progressive fracture were found that totaled about 4.12 inches in length. Fatigue cracking initiated and progressed from two separate rivet holes where a stringer was attached to the wing skin. There were no material discrepancies or other anomalies noted at the fatigue initiation sites. The remainder of the fracture was due to overstress separation. The fractured area of lower wing skin was inspected by x-ray in accordance with an existing Airworthiness Directive 611.7 hours prior to the discovery of the crack. No discrepancies were reported from this inspection. Post incident examination of the x-ray films showed the crack was present but very difficult to detect without close scrutiny, optimal lighting and a known crack location. The manufacturer released a Service Bulletin based on the findings of the investigation to provide more detailed instructions and additional methods to detect cracking of the lower wing skin at the inboard nacelle area.
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
What happened, in order
- Hazardous material leak/spill during after landing
- Aircraft structural failure during unknown defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Plates/skins (on wing) › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- factor Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › Manufacturer
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 7,000 in this make and model; 153 in the last 90 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 4,300 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 4, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; rotorcraft: airship
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 5,600 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 31, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight Engineer
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Flight time: 8 hours in all
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 36,900 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 20, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 100,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney R2800-CB3 (piston); 13,609 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney R2800-CB3 (piston); 13,947 hours total
- Engine 3: Pratt & Whitney R2800-CB3 (piston); 2,647 hours total
- Engine 4: Pratt & Whitney R2800-CB3 (piston); 7,104 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANC Anchorage AK
- Destination: ENM Emmonak AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 16 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 |
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.