A TransNothern Aviation Douglas DC-3 has been forced to make a belly landing after losing power to one of its engines in Alaska. The cargo flight had recently taken off from Ted Stevens Anchorage Airport yesterday morning, when it declared an emergency and headed for Merrill Field Airport. The aircraft successfully landed gear up, and there were no injuries to the crew onboard.
TransNorthern Aviation is one of the rare airlines keeping the iconic DC-3 in regular operation. Based out of Anchorage, the airline operates charter passenger and cargo flights around Alaska. In its current fleet are four such vintage aircraft, with ATDB.aero listing three as in storage and just one remaining operational.
That operational aircraft is registered N28TN, an ex-US Navy C-117D originally built in 1952 and part of the TransNorthern fleet since 2007. Despite its vintage status, the aircraft is in regular use, flying from Anchorage to destinations including Kenai, Deadhorse, Egegik, and Beluga. Yesterday, N28TN was all set to fly from Anchorage to Kodiak, a flight that usually takes around an hour and a half to complete.
But yesterday’s flight was short-lived, as the aircraft’s crew reported a problem with the right-hand engine shortly after takeoff. The pilots initially requested a return to Anchorage, using left turns only, but subsequently requested to divert to nearby Merill Field instead. Merrill Field is a general aviation airport close to downtown Anchorage, which has been in service since 1930.
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December 10, 2021 at 8:24 pm