Alaska Airlines Flight 1866

Infobox Airliner accident|name=Alaska Airlines Flight 1866
Crash

Date=September 4, 1971
Type=controlled flight into terrain
Site=near Juneau, Alaska
Fatalities=111
Aircraft Type=Boeing 727-100
Origin=Anchorage
Destination=Cordova, Yakutat, Juneau, Sitka stopovers
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport final
Operator=Alaska Airlines
Tail Number=N2969G
Passengers=104
Crew=7
Survivors = 0

Alaska Airlines flight 1866 was the first fatal jet airliner crash of Alaska Airlines (sometimes incorrectly cited as the first fatal crash involving the airline) [ [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0002/01/bn.02.html CNN Transcript - Breaking News: Alaska Airlines Flight 261: Plane Plummets Into Pacific; 88 People on Board; Armada of Boats Searching for Signs of Life - February 1, 2000 ] ] , an airline registered in the United States. The aircraft crashed into a mountain near Juneau, Alaska (JNU/PAJN) on approach for landing on September 4, 1971. 111 people were killed. [ [http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=2107 HistoryLink Essay: Alaska Airlines - A Snapshot History ] ] There were no survivors. At the time, it was the worst plane crash in the history of the United States until June 24, 1975, when Eastern Airlines Flight 66 crashed.

Preflight history

The aircraft was a Boeing 727-100 with U.S. registry N2969G. [ [http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=62043&key=0 DCA72AZ003 ] ] Flight 1866 originated in Anchorage, Alaska and had stopped at Cordova (CDV) and Yakutat (YAK/PAYA). It was scheduled to stop in Juneau and Sitka before ending in Seattle.

The aircraft was manufactured in 1966 as c/n 19304 and manufacturer’s serial number 287. It had accumulated 11,344 flight hours prior to the incident.

7 crew members were aboard as well as 104 passengers.

The flight landed at Yakutat at 11:07 a.m.. It departed Yakutat at 11.35 a.m. for Juneau.

Controlled flight into terrain

The aircraft impacted the eastern slope of a canyon in the Chilkat Range of the Tongass National Forest at the 2475-foot level, 35 km (21 miles) west of Juneau. The aircraft disintegrated on impact at 12:15 p.m.. There were no survivors.

The captain of the flight was Richard C. Adams, age 41 at the time of the crash. Piloting the aircraft at the time was First Officer Leonard D. Beach, age 32. James J. Carson was the second officer. Beach and Carson had been employed with Alaska Airlines in 1966. Adams had been with Alaska Airlines since 1955.

Reported probable cause of the crash

"A display of misleading navigational information concerning the flight's progress along the localizer course which resulted in a premature descent below obstacle clearance altitude. The origin or nature of the misleading navigational information could not be determined. The Board further concludes that the crew did not use all available navigational aids to check the flight's progress along the localizer nor were these aids required to be used. The crew also did not perform the required audio identification of the pertinent navigational facilities." [ [http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19710904-0 ASN Aircraft accident description Boeing 727-193 N2969G - Juneau, AK ] ] .

Modern improvements relating to Juneau

In 1989, Alaska Airlines became the first airline to use head-up guidance systems for passenger flights. These are credited for reducing disruptions caused by fog. [ [http://www.alaskasworld.com/newsroom/ASNews/AS-Fact-Sheet_Innovation.asp Alaska Airlines Company Facts Technology ] ] Alaska Airlines is credited as being an airline pioneer in the use of head-up displays, which are seen as assisting air crews to fly to challenging airports. [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3126/is_200107/ai_n7792642 HUDs and enhanced vision: more efficiency, reduced costs.(Head Up Display technology) | Interavia Business & Technology | Find Articles at BNET.com ] ] Juneau has been reported to be a challenging airport [ [http://www.bcdc.ca.gov/pdf/planning/RAPC_TLC_20072302.pdf Coordination Meeting #1, Delay Reduction Strategy ] ] Takeoffs sometimes require a 180-degree turn inside between an island and the mainland, both of which have steep terrain. In addition, there can be high winds in the vicinity. [ [http://www.ucar.edu/communications/newsreleases/1997/turbulence.html Aviation and Turbulence: FAA and NCAR Continue Investigations ] ]

Other notes

The Anchorage-Cordova-Yakutat-Juneau segments still operate daily as flight 66. In 2007, the flight was operated in the afternoon and evening. [ source: http://www.alaskaair.com ]

External links

*86 page National Transportation Safety Board report
http://amelia.db.erau.edu/reports/ntsb/aar/AAR72-28.pdf
*1972 photograph of another Alaska Airlines 727-100 series aircraft [http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0312920&WxsIERv=Obrvat%20727-193&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Nynfxn%20Nveyvarf&QtODMg=Napubentr%20-%20Grq%20Fgriraf%20Vagreangvbany%20%28NAP%20%2F%20CNAP%29&ERDLTkt=HFN%20-%20Nynfxn&ktODMp=Whar%201972&BP=0&WNEb25u=Crgre%20qr%20Tebbg&xsIERvdWdsY=A2979T&MgTUQtODMgKE=Ybiryl%20ivrj%20bs%20gur%20NAP%20enzc%2C%20jvgu%20gjb%20727f%20ivfoyr%2C%20naq%20na%20gur%20gnvy%20bs%20na%20Nynfxn%20Urephyrf.&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=4033&NEb25uZWxs=2003-01-21%2000%3A00%3A00&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=19305%2F300&static=yes&width=1024&height=693&sok=JURER%20%20%28nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Obrvat%20727-100%20%28P-22%29%27%29%20NAQ%20%28nveyvar%20YVXR%20%27Nynfxn%20Nveyvarf%25%27%20BE%20nveyvar%20YVXR%20%27Hagvgyrq%20%28Nynfxn%20Nveyvarf%29%25%27%29%20%20BEQRE%20OL%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=11&prev_id=0399376&next_id=0235452&size=L]

References