c/n 323

N62783 of Channel Flying at Vancouver.

Photo: Gary Vincent © June 1984

N62873 at Juneau, Alaska.

Photo: Brian Stockall © 13 March 1978

N62873 on beaching gear.

Photo: Kenneth I. Swartz © 07 May 1977

N62873 at Luxembourg - Findel after demob.

Photo: Mick Bajcar © August 1972

c/n 323 51-16531 N62873 • Delivered 17-Jul-1952 • 51-16531 USAF • #1134 • L-20 No: 135 • Command AF-1 • N62873 Loken Aviation Inc., Juneau, AK • w/o 07-Dec-1970 • Channel Flying Inc., Juneau, AK • Regd 14-Sep-1977 • Crashed 19-Apr-1989 at Pelican, AK • 2 K • Canx 03-Jun-1991 as w/o • Disposition unknown •

• SEA89FA074 DRG A FLT FROM JUNEAU TO PELICAN, AK, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN APRX 12 MI EAST OF PELICAN WHILE CROSSING OVER CHICHAGOF ISLAND. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A VERTICAL ROCK WALL AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 1950 FT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS EVIDENT. ANOTHER PLT, WHO HAD PLANNED TO FLY THE SAME ROUTE ABOUT 1 HR & 45 MIN EARLIER, DECIDED TO FLY AROUND THE ISLAND DUE TO LOW CLOUDS, RAIN & FOG IN THE AREA. HE REPORTED THAT HE FLEW OVER ICY STRAITS RATHER THAN TAKE A MORE DIRECT ROUTE & THAT CEILINGS WERE ABOUT 2000 FT BROKEN WITH LOWER STRATUS IN THE VALLEYS. A HELICOPTER PLT SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO WORK IN MOUNTAIN PASSES IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACDNT DUE TO LOW CLOUDS, RAIN &  FOG; HE ALSO SAID THE PASSES WERE "SOCKED IN."