De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou crash, Aug 29, 2001, Port Alsw...
De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou accident on August 29, 2001 near Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States with no fatalities. Cause: Pilot failure to maintain...
- Date: August 29, 2001
- Aircraft: De Havilland DHC-4 Caribou
- Location: Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States
- Fatalities: 0
- Phase of flight: Approach and landing
- Cause: Pilot failure to maintain the proper glidepath and improper short-field landing technique, with a downdraft and inadequate evaluation of weather conditions as factors.
The Caribou cargo aircraft was landing on a private dirt and gravel strip at Port Alsworth when it encountered windshear and a downdraft near the threshold. It drifted off the runway centreline, its right wing struck trees, and it hit the ground and spun 180 degrees. The captain had been landing with a low airspeed approach in gusty east wind.