N402LC

On June 26, 1998, about 1403 Alaska daylight time, a Lockheed L-382G airplane, N402LC, sustained substantial damage during landing at the Hog River Airport, a private airport about 40 miles north of Huslia, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as an instrument (IFR) cross-country cargo flight under Title 14 CFR Part 121, when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to, and operated by Lynden Air Cargo LLC. The crew of the airplane, consisting of the captain, first officer, flight engineer, and two load masters, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A IFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Fairbanks International Airport, Fairbanks, Alaska, about 1247.

The chief pilot for the operator reported the airport has a gravel runway that is oriented on a 300/120 degree heading. The runway is 4,300 feet long, and varies between 100 and 80 feet wide. The captain indicated he flew over runway 30 to inspect the runway, and observe the wind sock, which is located at the north end of the runway. The wind direction from the wind sock, a comparison of the airplane's airspeed, and ground speed indication from a global positioning system receiver (GPS), revealed variable wind conditions that were less than 10 knots. The captain decided to land toward the north, and planned to touch down in the first few hundred feet of the approach end of runway 30. During the landing flair, the airplane floated slightly, and then touched down about 1,200 feet beyond the approach end of the runway. After touch down, the captain lowered the nose of the airplane, and brought the engines into reverse. As the airplane decelerated, it drifted slightly to the left, but the captain indicated he did not notice any collision with any objects. After the airplane was parked, the crew noticed damage to the leading edge of the left wing, about 18 inches inboard from the tip.

An inspection of the leading edge revealed a collision with about a 3 inch diameter tree. The wing received aft crushing, damage to a wing nose rib, and slight denting of the wing spar web. The airplane has a wing span of 132 feet, 7 inches. The wing is 15 feet, 3 inches above the ground.