Incident Overview
Date: Friday 29 January 1960
Aircraft Type: Curtiss C-46 Super C
Owner/operator: Pacific Western Airlines
Registration Number: CF-PWD
Location: Port Hardy Airport, BC (YZT) –
ÿ Canada
Phase of Flight: Landing
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 51
Component Affected: Reduction drive ring gear in the right engine.Reduction drive ring gear in the right engine.
Category: Accident
Flight 104 experienced a significant landing issue due to a mechanical failure. The right engine experienced a fatigue fracture, necessitating propeller feathering. The aircraft overran into a swamp and tree stump area due to a steep approach and reduced braking. The fog bank and airspeed conditions contributed to the landing overrun.Flight 104 experienced a significant landing issue due to a mechanical failure. The right engine experienced a fatigue fracture, necessitating propeller feathering. The aircraft overran into a swamp and tree stump area due to a steep approach and reduced braking. The fog bank and airspeed conditions contributed to the landing overrun.
Description
Flight 104 departed Port Hardy for a flight to Comox. No. 2 engine problems forced the crew to turn back to Port Hardy. The engine was shut down and the propeller feathered. The C-46 landed on runway 10 and overran into an area of swamp and tree stumps. PROBABLE CAUSE: “The right engine failed because of a fatigue fracture of the reduction drive ring gear necessitating feathering of the propeller. Due to the presence of a fog bank, a steep approach was necessary with result that the landing was made at a higher than normal airspeed which, coupled with reduced braking action on the wet runway, caused the aircraft to overrun the landing area.”
Primary Cause
Fatigue fracture of the reduction drive ring gear in the right engine.Fatigue fracture of the reduction drive ring gear in the right engine.Share on:
