Klawock Airport
Encyclopedia
Klawock Airport is a state-owned public-use airport
located two nautical miles (3.7 km) northeast of the central business district
of Klawock
, a city in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area of the U.S. state
of Alaska
.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
for the FAA
and IATA
, this airport is assigned AKW by the FAA and KLW by the IATA.
paved runway
designated 2/20 which measures 5,000 by 100 feet (1,524 x 30 m). For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 4,000 aircraft operations, an average of 10 per day: 83% air taxi
and 18% general aviation
. At that time there were four single-engine
aircraft based at this airport.
airplane, N29884, sustained substantial damage following a main landing gear component failure and subsequent loss of control while landing at the Klawock Airport, Klawock, Alaska
. The flight was conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 135, as a scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by LAB Flying Service, Haines, Alaska
, as Flight 609. The airline transport certified pilot and the two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The accident flight originated at the Ketchikan Airport, Ketchikan, Alaska
, about 14:00 Alaska daylight time.
As the pilot applied the brakes, the airplane veered to the left, and he was unable to keep the plane on the runway surface. The airplane continued off the left side of the runway, and the nose of the airplane struck a drainage ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.
During a post-accident inspection, maintenance personnel discovered a broken landing gear oleo attachment bracket on the left main landing gear strut assembly. The manufacturer had changed the design of the oleo attachment bracket which was made of aluminum alloy. The newly designed oleo attachment bracket is made of steel.
The FAA inspector said that during the last main landing gear overhaul, the operator elected to re-install the old style aluminum alloy oleo attachment brackets, primarily due to the cost of the new style steel oleo attachment brackets.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located two nautical miles (3.7 km) northeast of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Klawock
Klawock, Alaska
Klawock is a city in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, in the U.S. state of Alaska, on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island, on Klawock Inlet, across from Klawock Island...
, a city in the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.
Although most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier
Location identifier
A location identifier is a symbolic representation for the name and the location of an airport, navigation aid, or weather station, and is used for manned air traffic control facilities in air traffic control, telecommunications, computer programming, weather reports, and related services.-ICAO...
for the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
and IATA
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
, this airport is assigned AKW by the FAA and KLW by the IATA.
Facilities and aircraft
Klawock Airport has one asphaltAsphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
designated 2/20 which measures 5,000 by 100 feet (1,524 x 30 m). For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 4,000 aircraft operations, an average of 10 per day: 83% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
and 18% general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
. At that time there were four single-engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
aircraft based at this airport.
Airlines and destinations
Cargo airlines
Accidents
On April 6, 2005, about 14:35 Alaska daylight time, a twin-engine Britten-Norman BN-2A IslanderBritten-Norman Islander
The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in...
airplane, N29884, sustained substantial damage following a main landing gear component failure and subsequent loss of control while landing at the Klawock Airport, Klawock, Alaska
Klawock, Alaska
Klawock is a city in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, in the U.S. state of Alaska, on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island, on Klawock Inlet, across from Klawock Island...
. The flight was conducted under Title 14, CFR Part 135, as a scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by LAB Flying Service, Haines, Alaska
Haines, Alaska
Haines is a census-designated place in Haines Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the area was 1,811. Haines was formerly a city but no longer has a municipal government...
, as Flight 609. The airline transport certified pilot and the two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The accident flight originated at the Ketchikan Airport, Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States, the southeasternmost sizable city in that state. With an estimated population of 7,368 in 2010 within the city limits, it is the fifth most populous city in the state....
, about 14:00 Alaska daylight time.
As the pilot applied the brakes, the airplane veered to the left, and he was unable to keep the plane on the runway surface. The airplane continued off the left side of the runway, and the nose of the airplane struck a drainage ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.
During a post-accident inspection, maintenance personnel discovered a broken landing gear oleo attachment bracket on the left main landing gear strut assembly. The manufacturer had changed the design of the oleo attachment bracket which was made of aluminum alloy. The newly designed oleo attachment bracket is made of steel.
The FAA inspector said that during the last main landing gear overhaul, the operator elected to re-install the old style aluminum alloy oleo attachment brackets, primarily due to the cost of the new style steel oleo attachment brackets.
External links
- FAA Alaska airport diagram (GIFGIFThe Graphics Interchange Format is a bitmap image format that was introduced by CompuServe in 1987 and has since come into widespread usage on the World Wide Web due to its wide support and portability....
)
