On April 17, 1976, a Beechcraft 90 King Air (registration N2400X) operated by Kenai Air Services was involved in an aviation accident near Akutan (Akutan Island), United States of America in flight. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Inadequate preflight preparation on part of the crew. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A charter flight from Kenai to Dutch Harbor ran low on fuel, prompting the crew to ditch the aircraft off Akutan Island. All five occupants were rescued, but the aircraft was lost. Investigators cited inadequate preflight preparation and fuel mismanagement.
Incident Overview
During a charter flight from Kenai to Dutch Harbor, while traversing the Aleutian Islands, the crew determined that the fuel reserve was insufficient to continue to the destination. In response, the crew decided to reduce altitude and execute a ditching of the aircraft off Akutan Island. All five occupants were quickly rescued, but the aircraft was lost.
Probable Cause and Contributing Factors
The official investigation identified the probable cause as inadequate preflight preparation on the part of the crew. Several contributing factors were reported:
Improper in-flight decisions
Mismanagement of fuel
Miscalculation of fuel consumption
Airways facilities issues
The pilot ditched the aircraft due to low fuel state
The Driftwood Bay beacon was inoperative due to antenna damage
Investigation Details
The findings point to errors made before and during the flight, including poor fuel planning and decision-making. The inoperative beacon at Driftwood Bay was noted as a contributing factor, though no further details were provided regarding its role.