Date:	Wednesday 29 January 1997
Time:	23:10
Type:	de Havilland Canada DHC-4A Caribou
Owner/operator:	Southcentral Air
Registration:	N702SC
MSN:	126
Year of manufacture:	1963
Total airframe hrs:	13923 hours
Engine model:	Pratt & Whitney R-2000
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed, written off
Category:	Accident
Location:	3,5 km W of Sparrevohn Airport, AK (SVW) -   United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Cargo
Departure airport:	St. Mary's, AK (PASM)
Destination airport:	Kenai Airport, AK (ENA/PAEN)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
On its way from St. Mary's to Kenai the aircraft suffered engine problems (no. 2 prop overspeed). The engine was feathered, and the crew elected to divert to Aniak. When the no. 1 engine produced banging noises, forcing the crew to divert to nearby Sparrevohn. Sparrevohn Airport is located on the slope of mountainous terrain, approach is only authorized during daylight, with a landing approach only from the South and a go-around improbable.
While spiralling down over the airfield, the crew encountered severe turbulence from the surrounding mountains. Full power on the no. 1 engine was applied, but the aircraft collided with snow covered upsloping terrain.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "Loss of the right engine propeller control oil, which led to an overspeed of the right engine and propeller, and necessitated a shut-down of the right engine; and failure of the pilot to maintain adequate altitude/distance from terrain during visual approach for a precautionary landing at an alternate airport. Factors relating to the accident were: fluctuation of the left engine power, premature lowering of the airplane flaps, and an encounter with adverse weather conditions (including high winds, severe turbulence, and white-out conditions) during the approach."

ICAO Adrep Summary 3/98 (#24)
NTSB Id. ANC97FA024

Other occurrences involving this aircraft

30 January 1997

N702SC

South Central Air

Sparrevohn, AK

w/o

photo (c) via Werner Fischdick; Sacramento-Executive Airport, CA (SAC/KSAC); July 1989

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