N967JW

The aircraft was on the last leg of a scheduled commuter flight, when it crashed in a heavily wooded area while making a VFR approach to Merrill Field, Anchorage, AK. The captain and his sole passenger were killed in the crash when the airplane struck the ground upside-down in a near vertical attitude. The airplane's copilot, who had deplaned minutes before the accident flight, said he did not see the captain use the aircraft's auxiliary fuel tanks at any time during that evening's earlier flights. The airplane's main fuel tanks hold 100 gallons of useable fuel; it is estimated that the airplane would have consumed slightly more than 100 gallons of fuel at the time of the accident. Ample fuel remained in the auxiliary tanks, but an engine restart cannot be readily accomplished if the auxiliary tanks are not selected prior to the engine's quitting. Both occupants were killed.

Flight / Schedule

N967JW

Aircraft

Cessna 402

Registration

N967JW

MSN

402-0067

Year of Manufacture

1967

Date

April 1, 1987 at 09:30 PM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Crash Location

Anchorage-Merrill Field Alaska

Region

North America • United States of America

Crash Cause

Technical failure

Narrative Report

On April 1, 1987 at 09:30 PM, N967JW experienced a crash involving Cessna 402, operated by Wilbur's Flight Operations, with the event recorded near Anchorage-Merrill Field Alaska.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 1, passenger fatalities: 1, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The aircraft was on the last leg of a scheduled commuter flight, when it crashed in a heavily wooded area while making a VFR approach to Merrill Field, Anchorage, AK. The captain and his sole passenger were killed in the crash when the airplane struck the ground upside-down in a near vertical attitude. The airplane's copilot, who had deplaned minutes before the accident flight, said he did not see the captain use the aircraft's auxiliary fuel tanks at any time during that evening's earlier flights. The airplane's main fuel tanks hold 100 gallons of useable fuel; it is estimated that the airplane would have consumed slightly more than 100 gallons of fuel at the time of the accident. Ample fuel remained in the auxiliary tanks, but an engine restart cannot be readily accomplished if the auxiliary tanks are not selected prior to the engine's quitting. Both occupants were killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N967JW, MSN 402-0067, year of manufacture 1967.

Fatalities

Total

2

Crew

1

Passengers

1

Other

0

Crash Summary

The aircraft was on the last leg of a scheduled commuter flight, when it crashed in a heavily wooded area while making a VFR approach to Merrill Field, Anchorage, AK. The captain and his sole passenger were killed in the crash when the airplane struck the ground upside-down in a near vertical attitude. The airplane's copilot, who had deplaned minutes before the accident flight, said he did not see the captain use the aircraft's auxiliary fuel tanks at any time during that evening's earlier flights. The airplane's main fuel tanks hold 100 gallons of useable fuel; it is estimated that the airplane would have consumed slightly more than 100 gallons of fuel at the time of the accident. Ample fuel remained in the auxiliary tanks, but an engine restart cannot be readily accomplished if the auxiliary tanks are not selected prior to the engine's quitting. Both occupants were killed.

Cause: Technical failure

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

1

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 2

Operational Details

Flight Type

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Flight Phase

Landing (descent or approach)

Crash Site

Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

Region / Country

North America • United States of America

Aircraft Details

Aircraft

Cessna 402

Registration

N967JW

MSN

402-0067

Year of Manufacture

1967

Similar Plane Crashes

May 2, 1918 at 12:00 AM2 Fatalities

United States Signal Corps - USSC

De Havilland DH.4

The single engine airplane departed Dayton-McCook Field for a local test flight. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft stalled and crashed, killing both occupants. Crew: Maj Oscar Brindley, Lt Col Henry Damm.

June 19, 1918 at 12:00 AM1 Fatalities

United States Signal Corps - USSC

De Havilland DH.4

Lt. Frank Stuart Patterson, son and nephew of the co-founders of National Cash Register, is killed in the crash of his DH.4M, AS-32098, at Wilbur Wright Field during a flight test of a new mechanism for synchronizing machine gun and propeller, when a tie rod breaks during a dive from 15,000 feet (4,600 m), causing the wings to separate from the aircraft. Wishing to recognize the contributions of the Patterson family (owners of NCR) the area of Wright Field east of Huffman Dam (including Wilbur Wright Field, Fairfield Air Depot, and the Huffman Prairie) is renamed Patterson Field on 6 July 1931, in honor of Lt. Patterson.

November 9, 1918 at 12:00 AM

United States Signal Corps - USSC

De Havilland DH.4

The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances.

November 12, 1918 at 12:00 AM1 Fatalities

United States Signal Corps - USSC

De Havilland DH.4

The crew was completing a training mission. At an altitude of about 4,000 feet, the aircraft entered a spin and crashed in an open field near Everman-Barron Field Airport. A crew was killed and the second occupants was injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

November 14, 1918 at 12:00 AM

U.S. Air Mail Service

De Havilland DH.4

Crashed following an engine failure. Pilot fate unknown.

November 20, 1918 at 12:00 PM

United States Signal Corps - USSC

De Havilland DH.4

The accident occurred in unknown circumstances.