Nulato - Kaltag

On September 3, 1990 at 03:20 PM, Nulato - Kaltag experienced a crash involving Piper PA-31-310 Navajo, operated by Frontier Flying Service, with the event recorded near Kaltag 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.

10 people were known to be on board, 3 fatalities were recorded, 7 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 30.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 9, passenger fatalities: 3, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The pilot reported that the #2 engine began to lose power as he was flying under a low overcast and about 500 feet above the Yukon River. Subsequently, the airplane descended and the fuselage and left propeller contacted the water. With these problems and decreasing visibility ahead, the pilot elected to make a 180° turn. He said that about midway through the turn, the #2 engine lost all power. The airplane then crashed into trees and was destroyed by a post-impact fire. No reason was found for either engine to lose power before water or tree contact.

Aircraft reference details include registration N59783, MSN 31-7612024, year of manufacture 1976.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 64.3276°, -158.7254°.