Narrative:The C-54 departed Norman Wells at 16:52. Six minutes later, the crew declared an emergency due to a fire in the number 2 engine. The no. 2 engine quit and the crew tried to extinguish the fire by activating the fire bottles. This did not extinguish the fire. They feathered the no. 2 propeller and simultaneously the no. 1 propeller feathered. The crew decided to perform an off-field forced landing, but then the engine fire extinguished. They made it back to Norman Wells where an emergency landing on two engines was carried out. The aircraft departed the runway and came to a halt in deep snow some 60 feet from the edge of the runway.
Also, the aircraft was a model C54G-DC according to the Canadian aircraft register, but production lists indicate that the airplane was a C54G-DO.
Findings as to Causes and Contributing Factors:
1. Airworthiness Directive AD 48-12-01 mandates the replacement of the potentially hazardous fuel line, but the line had not been replaced on this aircraft.
2. A fuel leak from the main fuel inlet line in the engine compartment of this cargo DC-4 caused an in-flight fire that spread into the nacelle and wing.
3. The fuel-fed fire burned for an extended period of time because turning the fuel selector off is not required as part of the primary Engine Fire Checklist.
Forced landing on runway
» CADORS Number: 2006C0041
Official accident investigation report
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not
display the exact flight path.
Distance from Norman Wells Airport, NT to Yellowknife Airport, NT as the crow flies is 675 km (422 miles).