Reeve Aleutian Airways Flight 8

Reeve Aleutian Airways Flight 8

A Lockheed Electra in Reeve Aleutian colors with altered titles
Occurrence summary
Date 8 June 1983
Summary Propeller separation leading to explosive decompression, cause undeterminable
Site Pacific Ocean near Cold Bay, Alaska
Passengers 10
Crew 5
Fatalities 0
Survivors 15 (All)
Aircraft type Lockheed L-188 Electra
Operator Reeve Aleutian Airways
Registration N1968R
Flight origin Cold Bay Airport, Cold Bay, Alaska
Destination Seattle International Airport

Reeve Aleutian Airways Flight 8 was an American domestic flight from Cold Bay, Alaska to Seattle, Washington on 8 June 1983.[1] Shortly after taking off the Lockheed L-188 Electra of Reeve Aleutian Airways was travelling over the Pacific Ocean, when one of the propellers broke away from its engine and struck the fuselage, damaging the flight controls. The pilots were able to make a successful emergency landing at Anchorage International Airport; none of the fifteen passengers and crew on board were injured in the accident.

Aircraft

The aircraft involved in the accident, a Lockheed L-188C Electra four-engine turboprop airliner with manufacturer's serial number 2007 and registration N1968R. It had been delivered in 1959 upon manufacture to Qantas; between 1965 and 1968, the aircraft served with other airlines, and was then sold to Reeve Aleutian. It had flown approximately 32,995 hours in service at the time the accident happened.[2][3]

Flight

Shortly after takeoff from Cold Bay Airport on the Alaska Peninsula for a flight across the northern Pacific Ocean to Seattle, Washington with ten passengers, the crew of the Electra noted an unusual vibration in the aircraft, but were unable to isolate the source. As the aircraft climbed from FL190 (approximately 19,000 feet (5,800 m)) to FL250 (approximately 25,000 feet (7,600 m)), the flight engineer left the cockpit to visually check the engines from the passenger cabin, but saw nothing amiss. The flight attendant went into the cockpit to discuss the vibration, which suddenly increased in intensity as she went back into the cabin. She looked out a window just in time to see the propeller of No. 4 engine (the outboard engine on the right wing) detach itself and fly spinning under the fuselage. The propeller tore a gash 8 feet (2.4 m) long in the aircraft's belly, causing the cabin to depressurize and jamming the flight controls and engine throttle controls.[4][5] The pilots managed to gain some control of the aircraft by using the autopilot and diverted the aircraft to Anchorage. With the engine throttle controls jammed at cruise power, on approach to land the crew were able to make the aircraft descend and climb after shutting down No. 2 (the left inboard) engine in combination with lowering and raising the landing gear.[4][6]

The Electra was landed at Anchorage International Airport on the second attempt. [7] The crew had to shut down all engines once the aircraft was on the ground in order to help bring it to a stop; one tire blew out and the brakes caught fire.[5] Nobody was hurt when the propeller hit the fuselage or during the emergency landing. The captain, 54-year-old James Gibson, with 5,700 hours' experience flying Electras, was honored for the successful landing by a meeting with President Ronald Reagan in the White House.[2][8] The Airline Pilots Association also honored Captain Gibson, 39-year-old co-pilot Gary Lintner and 45-year-old flight engineer Gerald Laurin later in 1983 with its Superior Airmanship Award.[9]

As the propeller fell into the Pacific Ocean and was never recovered for examination, the reason for its separation is unknown.[4]

Aftermath

Following the accident, the aircraft was repaired and returned to service.[10]

Dramatization

The events of Flight 8 were dramatized for the first episode of Season 12 of the documentary television series Mayday (also known as Air Crash Investigation, Air Crash Investigations, Air Emergency and Air Disasters); the episode is named "Fight for Control".

References

  1. ↑ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 National Transportation Safety Board Factual Report, Aviation; Report ID No. DCA83AA029. Accessed 21 July 2016
  3. ↑ http://www.aussieairliners.org/electras/vh-ecc/vhecc.html A complete history of Lockheed Electra S/N 2007. Accessed 27 October 2016
  4. 1 2 3 "Brief of Accident, DCA83AA029, File No. 3041". ntsb.gov. National Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Near-tragedy probed in Canada; Flight crew praised for landing". The Bulletin. Bend, Oregon. June 10, 1983. p. A-12. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "Crew members used 'a combination of backup systems' to...". United Press International. June 9, 1983. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AUhpx_ucxc "Reeves Lockheed Electra with damage engine landing". This is video evidence of both a first and second attempt by N1968R to land at Anchorage. Accessed 27 October 2016
  8. ↑ "President Salutes Controller, Pilot". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 21 June 1983. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  9. ↑ "Alpa honours air safety efforts". Flight International. Vol. 124 no. 3875. London: Transport Press. 13 August 1983. p. 409. ISSN 0015-3710. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  10. ↑ http://www.aussieairliners.org/electras/vh-ecc/vhecc.html "VH-ECC. Lockheed 188C Electra. c/n 2007." Retrieved 27 October 2016.
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