What happened
While performing a takeoff roll at Dutch Harbor Airport, the aircraft veered from its path and struck rocks located near the right edge of the runway. Although the crew attempted to abort the takeoff procedure, the plane became uncontrollable and subsequently crashed, catching fire upon impact. The incident resulted in six injuries, with three individuals sustaining serious wounds. The aircraft was completely destroyed by the resulting flames.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the accident occurred because the crew selected an unsuitable terrain during the takeoff run, leading to the initial swerve and subsequent collision with runway objects. Several environmental and operational factors contributed to the crash:
- A delay in the crew's decision to abort the takeoff
- Presence of ice and slush on the runway surface
- A wet runway condition
- Inadequate snow removal by airport supervisory personnel
- Poor maintenance of the runway surface
- Soft conditions of the runway