Overview
On October 11, 1990, at about 1730 Alaska daylight time, a Gulfstream Aerospace 690C Turbine Commander airplane, registration N45Q, is presumed to have crashed in the Arctic Ocean approximately 200 miles north-northwest of Deadhorse, Alaska. The aircraft, which was equipped with wheels, was operated by the US Department of the Interior as a visual flight rules (VFR) public use local game management flight. The purpose of the flight was to locate radio collared polar bears.
Flight Details
The airplane was registered to Bowhead Equipment Company of Seattle, Washington, and operated by Alaska Helicopters, Inc. of Anchorage, Alaska. The aircraft is presumed to have been destroyed. On board were a certificated airline transport pilot and two passengers, all of whom are presumed to have received fatal injuries.
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the departure point. The pilot filed a VFR flight plan for a 5.5-hour flight originating and terminating at Deadhorse. The accident flight departed from Deadhorse Airport at about 1429. According to information from the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Air Route Traffic Control Center, radar contact was lost with the accident airplane while it was maneuvering at 22,000 feet mean sea level, about 200 miles north-northwest of Deadhorse.
Search Efforts
When the accident airplane did not reach its intended destination, Deadhorse, and was not located at any airport, the FAA issued an alert notice (ALNOT) at 2221. Search personnel initiated an extensive effort that included a high-altitude, special radar-equipped airplane, surface vessels, and ground search personnel. The search was suspended on October 26, 1990.
Probable Cause
The cause of the accident could not be determined.