Aircraft crash near Aklavik due to navigational error

No fatalities • Aklavik, Canada • Flight

An airplane crashed into a mountainside in the Aklavik region during poor weather conditions, resulting in injuries to all three crew members.

What happened

During a flight through adverse weather, an aircraft struck the side of a mountain located near Aklavik. The impact occurred approximately 50 feet below the peak of the mountain, which was obscured by heavy cloud cover at the time. The wreckage was discovered several hours after the incident. All three crew members on board sustained injuries during the crash but were successfully evacuated from the site.

Findings

Investigations into the accident revealed that the flight deviated from its intended path because the crew did not adhere to the route specified in their flight plan. This deviation was caused by reliance on inaccurate information from a local NDB. The navigational aid's parameters were frequently unreliable due to the surrounding terrain and atmospheric turbulence, a factor that the crew was unaware of during the flight.

Probable cause

The crew deviated from the planned route because they followed inaccurate navigational data provided by a local NDB affected by topography and turbulence.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 1958-01-16 Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) accident near Aklavik, Canada?

An airplane crashed into a mountainside in the Aklavik region during poor weather conditions, resulting in injuries to all three crew members.

Were there any fatalities in the 1958-01-16 Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3) accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 1958-01-16 involved a Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3), registration N75391, operated by Interior Enterprise, at Aklavik, Canada.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The crew deviated from the planned route because they followed inaccurate navigational data provided by a local NDB affected by topography and turbulence.

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