Investigation Summary
The approach to Ketchikan was characterized by multiple deviations from standard operating procedures. Despite weather reports indicating a ceiling of 800 feet and visibility of 2 miles in snow and fog, the captain abandoned the ILS approach at 4,000 feet to proceed visually. The aircraft crossed the threshold at an excessive altitude and speed, with witnesses observing a porpoising motion upon touchdown. The captain's decision to execute a go-around after already deploying spoilers and reverse thrust proved fatal to the maneuver; the Boeing 727's thrust reverser doors were subjected to high airloads that prevented them from stowing properly, locking the engines in a state where forward takeoff thrust could not be achieved. Realizing the aircraft would not fly, the captain attempted to stop again, but the remaining runway was insufficient. The fuselage broke into three sections upon impact in the ravine. A Coast Guard officer on board, Captain William Bickford, was later credited with saving lives by repeatedly entering the burning wreckage to evacuate passengers and assisting in the extraction of the flight crew from the cockpit.
Final Conclusions
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause was the captain's faulty judgment in initiating a go-around after he was committed to a full stop landing following an excessively long and fast touchdown from an unstabilized approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's unprofessional decision to abandon the precision approach. The NTSB also noted that the first and second officers failed to adequately challenge the captain's departures from prescribed procedures.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Richard L. Burke, aged 55.
First Officer
Richard Bishop, aged 42.
Second Officer
Huston Leach, aged 43.
Systems & Failure Modes
Thrust Reversers
Mechanical doors that redirect engine exhaust forward to slow the aircraft. On the 727, high airspeeds can create airloads that prevent the doors from stowing, blocking the transition to forward thrust.
Ground Spoilers
Panels on the upper wing surface that deploy upon touchdown to dump lift and increase wheel brake effectiveness.
ILS (Instrument Landing System)
A precision approach system providing lateral and vertical guidance. The crew abandoned this system for a visual approach despite marginal weather.
Interesting Facts
- 01The captain had over 19,000 hours of flight experience but suffered from a medically disqualifying hearing loss discovered post-accident.
- 02The aircraft touched down at 145 knots, significantly higher than the calculated reference speed of 117 to 121 knots.
- 03The thrust reverser mechanism failed to disengage because high airloads from the aircraft's speed kept the deflector doors from closing.
- 04One 85-year-old passenger died on impact; all 49 other occupants were injured, with 32 sustaining serious injuries and 17 sustaining minor injuries.
- 05The airport manager had performed braking tests and reported 'poor' conditions, which the captain claimed he did not recall hearing.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Go-around Procedures
The accident highlighted the danger of attempting a go-around after thrust reversers have been deployed, leading to reinforced training on 'committed to stop' points.