Anchorage International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Friday, July 31, 1998 15:26 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the landing roll, after a wheel landing, the airplane veered left and departed the runway. The airplane's tailwheel fork assembly fractured. Postaccident inspection revealed the tailwheel offset to the left of the fuselage. Inspection at the NTSB metallurgical laboratory showed overstress separations with no evidence of preexisting cracking. The airplane and assembly had both accumulated 29,846 hours in operation at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, and the resulting overload fracture of the tailwheel fork assembly.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1526
Event Time Zone --
Event City ANCHORAGE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99502
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ANCHORAGE INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ANC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 144
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1526 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ANC
Elevation of weather observation facility 144
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 648
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1732
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N305SF
NTSB Number ANC98LA114
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Douglas
Aircraft Model DC-3C
Aircraft Series Identifier DC-3C
Aircraft Serial Number 6208
Certified Max Gross Weight 26900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 29857
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MAJESTIC LEASING, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 180N 2400W AMF BOX 22242
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84122
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GALAXY AIR CARGO, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4041 W. INTL AIRPORT RD
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99502
Operator Code GX7C
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 5NN
Departure City NONDALTON
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ANC
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 10496
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --