248:
31:
255:
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aircraft that had been in service since 1959. The aircraft was piloted by
Captain David Stanley, who had been a pilot for Northern Consolidated Airlines for seven years before that airline was merged into Wien Consolidated Airlines. Prior to that, he had been a flight instructor in Anchorage, and was
371:
helicopter was able to reach the crash site that afternoon, but was forced by the wind to take off shortly thereafter. The pilot, Major Norman
Kahmoot, reported that there were no survivors, and that the aircraft had been so disfigured by the crash that it was no longer recognizable. Bodies had been
359:
at 11,500 feet (3,500 m). Local witnesses reported hearing an explosion and seeing a fireball in the vicinity of the aircraft's tail before it descended in a steep, uncontrolled spiral towards the ground. Other witnesses reported large quantities of black smoke from behind the wing of the
313:
investigation revealed that the aircraft suffered a structural failure after encountering "severe-to-extreme" air turbulence. The accident was the second-worst accident involving a
Fairchild F-27 at the time, and currently the third-worst accident involving the aircraft.
999:
1629:
992:
383:
cracks had formed on the aircraft's wings due to improper and shoddy maintenance. The area over Pedro Bay had been the site of extreme, unreported turbulence, with winds in excess of 50 knots (93 km/h; 58 mph). The stresses due to
346:
without reported difficulties. At 9:25 am, first officer Jerry
Svengard contacted Iliamna air traffic control to request an approach clearance, which was granted at 9:26 am. This was the last outside contact made with the crew of Flight 55.
985:
360:
aircraft, and that the plane continued on course for a short period of time, before pieces separated from the aircraft and it entered a dive. The aircraft crashed into Foxys Lake, Pedro Bay, an area described as being a frozen
1664:
405:
1624:
596:
1056:
1639:
367:
Heavy winds gusting up to 55 miles per hour (90 km/h), as well as low temperatures of −11 °F (−24 °C), hampered search, rescue, recovery, and investigation efforts. An
589:
1634:
1659:
968:
962:
582:
1644:
1649:
494:
1462:
1362:
950:
760:
1545:
1156:
1038:
1557:
1356:
1203:
1191:
1115:
1032:
790:
690:
247:
977:
80:
1321:
800:
730:
1522:
1421:
1185:
1144:
1127:
930:
650:
556:
270:
1385:
750:
606:
449:
519:
1232:
1062:
810:
335:
1474:
1468:
1397:
1368:
1303:
1285:
1150:
1121:
830:
780:
640:
491:
173:
1587:
1539:
1504:
1480:
1333:
1309:
1244:
1085:
1020:
900:
850:
770:
660:
475:"Aircraft Accident Report: Wien Consolidated Airlines, Inc.; Fairchild F-27B, N4905; Pedro Bay, Alaska; December 2, 1968"
1581:
1291:
1268:
1262:
1250:
1238:
1168:
1050:
680:
376:
villagers volunteered to guard the remains from wolves until they could be collected and taken to the temporary morgue.
1551:
1415:
1403:
1327:
1315:
1256:
1162:
1097:
1593:
1569:
1516:
1456:
1209:
1103:
1026:
940:
820:
720:
1409:
1091:
1079:
1486:
1044:
860:
1654:
1197:
910:
436:
368:
840:
474:
710:
700:
139:
1350:
630:
1433:
184:
574:
1563:
670:
393:
380:
302:
195:
62:
432:
1510:
1492:
1297:
1215:
920:
890:
870:
552:
306:
290:
152:
72:
339:
52:
1575:
740:
343:
298:
162:
132:
1439:
1427:
1391:
1109:
1008:
Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States and U.S. territories in the 1960s
323:
294:
121:
30:
1618:
389:
546:
396:
in the aircraft's right wing, forcing it into a spiraling, uncontrollable dive.
379:
The NTSB investigation lasted 19 months, and it was discovered that a number of
385:
373:
356:
95:
82:
327:
1607:
An asterisk (*) denotes an incident that took place in a U.S. territory.
406:
List of accidents and incidents involving airliners in the United States
1630:
Airliner accidents and incidents caused by in-flight structural failure
456:. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. 3 December 1968. p. 1.
355:
While preparing to approach
Iliamna, the aircraft encountered extreme
286:
275:
480:. National Transportation Safety Board. 22 July 1970. NTSB-AAR-70-16
361:
310:
1665:
Aviation accidents and incidents caused by clear air turbulence
981:
578:
1625:
Aviation accidents and incidents in the United States in 1968
342:, and proceeded 150 miles (240 km) southwest to
1640:
Accidents and incidents involving the
Fairchild F-27
1532:
1449:
1378:
1343:
1278:
1225:
1178:
1137:
1072:
1013:
520:"Spotsy Lake, AK Airliner Crashes into Frozen Lake"
234:
226:
218:
210:
202:
191:
180:
169:
158:
148:
138:
128:
117:
112:
68:
58:
45:
40:
293:on December 2, 1968, killing all 39 on board. The
35:A Fairchild F-27 similar to the accident aircraft
993:
590:
285:was a scheduled domestic passenger flight in
8:
21:
514:
512:
510:
508:
506:
504:
502:
254:
1635:Airliner accidents and incidents in Alaska
1000:
986:
978:
597:
583:
575:
551:. New York: Copernicus Books. p. 41.
29:
20:
1660:December 1968 events in the United States
372:scattered across a large area, and local
1463:Braniff International Airways Flight 352
1363:Braniff International Airways Flight 250
951:MacRobertson Miller Airlines Flight 1750
1645:Wien Air Alaska accidents and incidents
1546:Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 933
416:
548:Flight 427: Anatomy of an Air Disaster
469:
467:
465:
463:
1157:Canadian Pacific Air Lines Flight 301
1039:Chicago Helicopter Airways Flight 698
428:
426:
424:
422:
420:
309:, with three intermediate stops. The
7:
1558:Hawthorne Nevada Airlines Flight 708
1499:Wien Consolidated Airlines Flight 55
1357:American Flyers Airline Flight 280/D
1204:Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 293
1192:Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 705
1116:Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 706
1033:Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 710
881:Wien Consolidated Airlines Flight 55
791:Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight 892
495:Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University
283:Wien Consolidated Airlines Flight 55
801:Seaboard World Airlines Flight 253A
731:Hawker Hunter Tower Bridge incident
1650:Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska
338:on Monday, December 2, at 8:46 am
14:
1523:North Central Airlines Flight 458
931:North Central Airlines Flight 458
439:. Retrieved on September 2, 2009.
331:described as an excellent pilot.
1386:Lake Central Airlines Flight 527
751:South African Airways Flight 228
607:Aviation accidents and incidents
253:
246:
811:BKS Air Transport Flight C.6845
691:Sainte-Marie Douglas DC-6 crash
336:Anchorage International Airport
1475:Los Angeles Airways Flight 417
1469:Los Angeles Airways Flight 841
1398:West Coast Airlines Flight 720
1369:West Coast Airlines Flight 956
1304:Continental Airlines Flight 12
1151:Continental Airlines Flight 11
1122:Imperial Airlines Flight 201/8
831:Los Angeles Airways Flight 417
781:Los Angeles Airways Flight 841
1:
1588:Allegheny Airlines Flight 853
1540:Allegheny Airlines Flight 737
1505:Allegheny Airlines Flight 736
1481:Northeast Airlines Flight 946
1310:Allegheny Airlines Flight 604
1245:Paradise Airlines Flight 901A
1086:American Airlines Flight 1502
1021:National Airlines Flight 2511
901:Allegheny Airlines Flight 736
851:Northeast Airlines Flight 946
661:Civil Air Transport Flight 10
1422:Lake Erie skydiving disaster
1322:American Airlines Flight 383
1292:Eastern Air Lines Flight 663
1269:Flying Tiger Line Flight 282
1263:Bonanza Air Lines Flight 114
1251:Pacific Air Lines Flight 773
1239:Eastern Air Lines Flight 304
1169:Eastern Air Lines Flight 512
1128:Cincinnati Zantop DC-4 crash
1051:Eastern Air Lines Flight 375
651:Indian Air Force An-12 crash
1552:United Air Lines Flight 266
1416:Piedmont Airlines Flight 22
1404:Delta Air Lines Flight 9877
1328:United Air Lines Flight 227
1316:United Air Lines Flight 389
1257:United Air Lines Flight 823
1163:United Air Lines Flight 297
1098:United Air Lines Flight 859
711:Yuri Gagarin's MiG-15 crash
524:Daily Sitka Sentinel Alaska
297:B aircraft was operated by
1681:
1594:Mohawk Airlines Flight 411
1570:Delta Air Lines Flight 821
1517:Ozark Air Lines Flight 982
1457:Ozark Air Lines Flight 965
1233:Savage Mountain B-52 crash
1210:Mohawk Airlines Flight 112
1145:American Airlines Flight 1
1104:Alaska Airlines Flight 779
1063:New York mid-air collision
1027:Capital Airlines Flight 20
941:Ozark Air Lines Flight 982
821:El Al Flight 426 hijacking
721:Ozark Air Lines Flight 965
322:Flight 55 was served by a
299:Wien Consolidated Airlines
133:Wien Consolidated Airlines
22:Wien Consolidated Airlines
1603:
1410:Mohawk Airlines Flight 40
960:
641:Thule Air Base B-52 crash
622:
450:"39 die in Alaskan crash"
364:surrounded by mountains.
28:
1605:This list is incomplete.
1487:Japan Air Lines Flight 2
1334:Carmel mid-air collision
1045:World Airways Flight 830
861:Japan Air Lines Flight 2
771:Kham Duc C-130 shootdown
1582:Newton Cessna 172 crash
437:Aviation Safety Network
1186:Elephant Mountain B-52
1057:Cal Poly football team
841:Air France Flight 1611
16:1968 aviation accident
701:Aer Lingus Flight 712
681:Air France Flight 212
545:Byrne, Gerry (2002).
1092:Yuba City B-52 crash
1080:Goldsboro B-52 crash
631:Aeroflot Flight 1668
433:Accident description
301:and was en route to
271:class=notpageimage|
1434:X-15 Flight 3-65-97
1286:USAF KC-135 Wichita
1118:(September 17 1961)
969:► 1969
963:1967 ◄
334:Flight 55 departed
262:San Pedro Bay
92: /
25:
1564:Prinair Flight 277
1525:(December 27 1968)
1519:(December 27 1968)
1513:(December 26 1968)
1507:(December 24 1968)
1495:(November 24 1968)
1489:(November 22 1968)
1442:(November 20 1967)
1436:(November 15 1967)
1330:(November 11 1965)
1171:(November 30 1962)
1165:(November 23 1962)
1130:(November 14 1961)
1112:(September 1 1961)
966:
761:Braniff Flight 352
671:Aeroflot Flight 15
394:structural failure
289:that crashed into
118:Aircraft type
96:59.771°N 154.141°W
63:Structural failure
1612:
1611:
1554:(January 18 1969)
1548:(January 13 1969)
1511:Pan Am Flight 799
1501:(December 2 1968)
1493:Pan Am Flight 281
1430:(November 6 1967)
1324:(November 8 1965)
1298:Pan Am Flight 843
1216:Pan Am Flight 214
1124:(November 8 1961)
1088:(January 28 1961)
1082:(January 24 1961)
1059:(October 29 1960)
1047:(September 1960)*
1029:(January 18 1960)
975:
974:
921:Pan Am Flight 799
891:Pan Am Flight 217
871:Pan Am Flight 281
526:. 3 December 1968
326:B, a twin-engine
263:
242:
241:
153:Anchorage, Alaska
73:Pedro Bay, Alaska
1672:
1590:(September 1969)
1542:(January 6 1969)
1053:(October 4 1960)
1023:(January 6 1960)
1002:
995:
988:
979:
967:
911:El Al Flight 253
617:
616:
614:
599:
592:
585:
576:
570:
569:
567:
565:
542:
536:
535:
533:
531:
516:
497:
489:
487:
485:
479:
471:
458:
457:
454:Spokesman-Review
446:
440:
430:
261:
257:
256:
250:
108:
107:
106:
104:
103:
102:
101:59.771; -154.141
97:
93:
90:
89:
88:
85:
49:December 2, 1968
33:
26:
1680:
1679:
1675:
1674:
1673:
1671:
1670:
1669:
1615:
1614:
1613:
1608:
1606:
1599:
1596:(November 1969)
1576:TWA Flight 5787
1572:(March 25 1969)
1566:(March 5 1969)*
1560:(February 1969)
1528:
1445:
1406:(March 30 1967)
1400:(March 10 1967)
1374:
1353:(February 1966)
1351:NASA T-38 crash
1339:
1336:(December 1965)
1294:(February 1965)
1274:
1271:(December 1964)
1265:(November 1964)
1241:(February 1964)
1221:
1218:(December 1963)
1194:(February 1963)
1174:
1133:
1068:
1065:(December 1960)
1009:
1006:
976:
971:
965:
956:
955:
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953:
948:
944:
943:
938:
934:
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928:
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868:
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834:
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828:
824:
823:
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803:
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788:
784:
783:
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764:
763:
758:
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753:
748:
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743:
741:BOAC Flight 712
738:
734:
733:
728:
724:
723:
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100:
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50:
36:
23:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1678:
1676:
1668:
1667:
1662:
1657:
1655:1968 in Alaska
1652:
1647:
1642:
1637:
1632:
1627:
1617:
1616:
1610:
1609:
1604:
1601:
1600:
1598:
1597:
1591:
1585:
1579:
1573:
1567:
1561:
1555:
1549:
1543:
1536:
1534:
1530:
1529:
1527:
1526:
1520:
1514:
1508:
1502:
1496:
1490:
1484:
1483:(October 1968)
1478:
1472:
1466:
1460:
1453:
1451:
1447:
1446:
1444:
1443:
1440:TWA Flight 128
1437:
1431:
1428:TWA Flight 159
1425:
1419:
1413:
1407:
1401:
1395:
1394:(March 9 1967)
1392:TWA Flight 553
1389:
1388:(March 5 1967)
1382:
1380:
1376:
1375:
1373:
1372:
1371:(October 1966)
1366:
1360:
1354:
1347:
1345:
1341:
1340:
1338:
1337:
1331:
1325:
1319:
1313:
1312:(July 23 1965)
1307:
1301:
1295:
1289:
1288:(January 1965)
1282:
1280:
1276:
1275:
1273:
1272:
1266:
1260:
1254:
1248:
1242:
1236:
1235:(January 1964)
1229:
1227:
1223:
1222:
1220:
1219:
1213:
1207:
1201:
1195:
1189:
1188:(January 1963)
1182:
1180:
1176:
1175:
1173:
1172:
1166:
1160:
1154:
1148:
1141:
1139:
1135:
1134:
1132:
1131:
1125:
1119:
1113:
1110:TWA Flight 529
1107:
1106:(July 21 1961)
1101:
1100:(July 11 1961)
1095:
1089:
1083:
1076:
1074:
1070:
1069:
1067:
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719:
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709:
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629:
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587:
579:
572:
571:
557:
537:
498:
459:
441:
415:
413:
410:
409:
408:
401:
398:
352:
349:
324:Fairchild F-27
319:
316:
295:Fairchild F-27
269:
268:
260:
259:
252:
251:
245:
244:
243:
240:
239:
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228:
224:
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208:
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193:
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182:
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167:
166:
160:
156:
155:
150:
146:
145:
142:
136:
135:
130:
126:
125:
122:Fairchild F-27
119:
115:
114:
110:
109:
70:
66:
65:
60:
56:
55:
47:
43:
42:
38:
37:
34:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1677:
1666:
1663:
1661:
1658:
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1646:
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1641:
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1636:
1633:
1631:
1628:
1626:
1623:
1622:
1620:
1602:
1595:
1592:
1589:
1586:
1584:(August 1969)
1583:
1580:
1577:
1574:
1571:
1568:
1565:
1562:
1559:
1556:
1553:
1550:
1547:
1544:
1541:
1538:
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1535:
1531:
1524:
1521:
1518:
1515:
1512:
1509:
1506:
1503:
1500:
1497:
1494:
1491:
1488:
1485:
1482:
1479:
1477:(August 1968)
1476:
1473:
1471:(May 22 1968)
1470:
1467:
1464:
1461:
1458:
1455:
1454:
1452:
1448:
1441:
1438:
1435:
1432:
1429:
1426:
1424:(August 1967)
1423:
1420:
1417:
1414:
1411:
1408:
1405:
1402:
1399:
1396:
1393:
1390:
1387:
1384:
1383:
1381:
1377:
1370:
1367:
1365:(August 1966)
1364:
1361:
1358:
1355:
1352:
1349:
1348:
1346:
1342:
1335:
1332:
1329:
1326:
1323:
1320:
1318:(August 1965)
1317:
1314:
1311:
1308:
1306:(July 1 1965)
1305:
1302:
1299:
1296:
1293:
1290:
1287:
1284:
1283:
1281:
1277:
1270:
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1261:
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1246:
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1237:
1234:
1231:
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1228:
1224:
1217:
1214:
1211:
1208:
1205:
1202:
1199:
1196:
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1190:
1187:
1184:
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1181:
1177:
1170:
1167:
1164:
1161:
1158:
1155:
1152:
1149:
1146:
1143:
1142:
1140:
1136:
1129:
1126:
1123:
1120:
1117:
1114:
1111:
1108:
1105:
1102:
1099:
1096:
1093:
1090:
1087:
1084:
1081:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1071:
1064:
1061:
1058:
1055:
1052:
1049:
1046:
1043:
1040:
1037:
1034:
1031:
1028:
1025:
1022:
1019:
1018:
1016:
1012:
1003:
998:
996:
991:
989:
984:
983:
980:
970:
964:
959:
952:
942:
932:
922:
912:
902:
892:
882:
872:
862:
852:
842:
832:
822:
812:
802:
792:
782:
772:
762:
752:
742:
732:
722:
712:
702:
692:
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149:Flight origin
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1465:(May 3 1968)
1459:(March 1968)
1359:(April 1966)
1247:(March 1964)
1200:(March 1963)
1198:Camden PA-24
1147:(March 1962)
1094:(March 1961)
1035:(March 1960)
880:
562:. Retrieved
547:
540:
528:. Retrieved
523:
482:. Retrieved
453:
444:
390:air pressure
378:
366:
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333:
321:
282:
281:
274:Location in
181:3rd stopover
174:Big Mountain
170:2nd stopover
159:1st stopover
140:Registration
18:
1578:(July 1969)
1418:(July 1967)
1412:(June 1967)
1300:(June 1965)
1259:(July 1964)
1212:(July 1963)
1206:(June 1963)
1159:(July 1962)
1041:(July 1960)
564:3 September
530:3 September
484:2 September
192:Destination
185:King Salmon
99: /
87:154°08′28″W
1619:Categories
1253:(May 1964)
1153:(May 1962)
412:References
386:turbulence
374:Athabascan
357:turbulence
303:Dillingham
219:Fatalities
203:Passengers
196:Dillingham
84:59°46′16″N
392:caused a
369:Air Force
362:marshland
307:Anchorage
291:Pedro Bay
235:Survivors
24:Flight 55
400:See also
227:Injuries
198:, Alaska
187:, Alaska
176:, Alaska
165:, Alaska
129:Operator
113:Aircraft
51:9:36 am
41:Accident
611: (
609:in 1968
492:Copy at
435:at the
381:fatigue
344:Iliamna
328:propjet
163:Iliamna
75:, U.S.
59:Summary
947:Dec 31
937:Dec 27
927:Dec 27
917:Dec 26
907:Dec 26
897:Dec 24
887:Dec 12
867:Nov 24
857:Nov 22
847:Oct 25
837:Sep 11
827:Aug 14
817:Jul 23
787:May 28
777:May 22
767:May 12
747:Apr 20
717:Mar 27
707:Mar 27
697:Mar 24
667:Feb 29
657:Feb 16
637:Jan 21
555:
318:Flight
287:Alaska
276:Alaska
877:Dec 2
807:Jul 3
797:Jul 1
757:May 3
737:Apr 8
727:Apr 5
687:Mar 9
677:Mar 6
647:Feb 7
627:Jan 6
478:(PDF)
351:Crash
305:from
144:N4905
1533:1969
1450:1968
1379:1967
1344:1966
1279:1965
1226:1964
1179:1963
1138:1962
1073:1961
1014:1960
613:1968
566:2009
553:ISBN
532:2009
486:2009
388:and
340:AKST
311:NTSB
211:Crew
69:Site
53:AKST
46:Date
1621::
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501:^
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222:39
206:36
1001:e
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568:.
534:.
488:.
238:0
230:0
214:3
124:B
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