Douglas DC3C accident near Kenai, Alaska, August 1, 2019
On August 1, 2019 at about 1:55 am local time, a 1943 Douglas DC3C, registered N59314, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Kenai, Alaska (Drift River 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach path in gusting crosswind wind conditions, which resulted in landing short of the runway and impact with a ditch and runway light.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2019 · about 1:55 am local time
- Place
- Kenai, Alaska · Drift River · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC3C A, built 1943 · all DC3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N59314 · registry record · serial 12363
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the approach, the airplane encountered a downdraft, and the tailwheel landed short of the runway threshold, struck a ditch, and impacted a runway light. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was a "22+ knot front left quartering crosswind and gusting."
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
- Landing area undershoot during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 28, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,100 hours in all; 60 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 4,590 as pilot in command; 860 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 29, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24,287.7 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 26,900 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W R-1830-90D (piston); 6 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W R0-01830-92 (piston); 6 hours total
- Operator: Bush Air Cargo, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: ENA Kenai AK
- Destination: 3AK5 Kenai AK
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 23, 4,100 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from PAEN, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 GAA19CA492.