World Airways Flight 802

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World Airways Flight 802
Douglas DC-8-63(CF), World Airways JP6538344.jpg
A World Airways DC-8 sister ship of the accident aircraft
Accident
Date8 September 1973 (1973-09-08)
SummaryControlled flight into terrain due to Pilot error
SiteKing Cove, Alaska
55°11′21″N 162°15′52″W / 55.1893°N 162.2645°W / 55.1893; -162.2645Coordinates: 55°11′21″N 162°15′52″W / 55.1893°N 162.2645°W / 55.1893; -162.2645
Aircraft
Aircraft typeDouglas DC-8-63CF
OperatorWorld Airways
RegistrationN802WA
Flight originTravis AFB, California
1st stopoverCold Bay Airport, Alaska
Last stopoverYokota AFB, Japan
DestinationClark AFB, Philippines
Occupants6
Passengers3
Crew3
Fatalities6
Survivors0

On September 8, 1973, a Douglas DC-8 operated by World Airways as World Airways Flight 802 crashed on high ground while on approach to Cold Bay Airport, Alaska, killing all six people on board.[1]

The official accident investigation concluded that the probable cause was the captain's non-adherence to published instrument approach procedures for the destination airport.

History of the flight[]

Flight 802 was a contract cargo flight for the US Military Airlift Command from Travis AFB, California, to Clark AFB, Philippines; Cold Bay was the first planned stopover. The flight crew consisted of three members, while on board were also three non-revenue passengers, including two company employees.

The aircraft operating flight 802 was a four-engine Douglas DC-8-63CF jetliner, registration N802WA,[2] which had entered service two years earlier, in 1971. Maintenance records for the aircraft did not highlight any significant problem.[3]

Final descent and crash[]

After an uneventful flight from Travis, the aircraft descended in cloud towards Cold Bay Airport, straying significantly off-course and into an area of poor radio navigation reception, until at 05:42 AKDT it struck Mount Dutton at an altitude of 3,500 ft (1,100 m).[3]

References[]

  1. ^ "Crashed jet found; crew dead". Chicago Tribune. September 10, 1973. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  2. ^ "FAA Registry (N802WA)". Federal Aviation Administration.
  3. ^ a b Aircraft Accident Report, World Airways, Inc., DC-8-63F, N802WA, King Cove, Alaska, September 8, 1973 (PDF) (Report). National Transportation Safety Board. May 8, 1974. NTSB-AAR-74-6. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
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