Aviation Mysteries of the North by Gregory Liefer

Author:Gregory Liefer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Publication Consultants

Alaska Airlines DC-3 over the unforgiving coastal mountains. (Museum of Flight-Seattle, WA)

Neither pilot was overly concerned about the momentary loss of reception, as it was not an uncommon occurrence, especially when flying in poor weather conditions. Their confidence was rewarded several minutes later when the Gustavus radio signal was faintly heard through the headsets, barely recognizable over the constant clutter of background static, but enough to verify they were passing through the southwest leg of the station. A routine position report was transmitted to Gustavus Radio at 5:10 am Alaska Standard Time, confirming they were over the intersection at 10,000 feet and estimating an arrival over Sitka at 5:44. One hour and three minutes had passed since departing Yakutat. Nothing was heard from the flight again as it mysteriously vanished somewhere along the stretch of remote coastline.

The aircraft was a DC-3C belonging to Pacific Alaska Air Express on a flight from Anchorage, Alaska to Seattle, Washington. It initially departed Anchorage the previous night at 10:26 pm with ten passengers. Stopping at Homer on the south end of the Kenai Peninsula, the plane picked up four additional passengers before continuing southeast along the coast, landing in Yakutat at 2:57 am. While on the ground the plane was serviced and one last passenger added before it lifted off the runway at 4:07 am with full fuel tanks. Flight time en route to the next scheduled stop at Annette Island should have been approximately three hours, based on forecast winds.

Routine position reports were required passing the Cape Spencer Intersection and Sitka Radio Range. When an hour and forty-five minutes had passed since the flight’s last transmission over the intersection and an hour after its estimating arrival over Sitka, an emergency warning order was issued by the Civil Aeronautics Administration.1 All stations between Seattle and Anchorage were notified, directing them to attempt contact with the missing plane. With no response forthcoming, it was first presumed the Pacific Alaska Air Express DC-3 experienced some sort of radio difficulties that prevented communication. When it also failed to arrive at Annette Island, search and rescue units and officials at the Civil Aeronautics Board were notified.2

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