The Watchtower's luxurious aircraft was damaged the first time in 1995:
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief2.asp?ev_id=20001207X03587&ntsbno=ANC95LA077&akey=1
ANC95LA077
"On June 12, 1995, at 1530 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 402B airplane, N710WS, registered to and operated by the Watchtower Bible Organization and Tract Society, collapsed its nose gear while taxiing back after landing. The business flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, departed Good News, Alaska, and the destination was Tuntutuliak, Alaska. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The airline transport certificated pilot and the three passengers were not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged.
According to the Director of the Watchtower Bible Organization, who was also a passenger on the airplane, they were taxiing back to the ramp after landing. The runway had just been graded and a small depression in the runway's surface was filled with soft material. The airplane's nose gear rolled into the depression and the nose gear collapsed.
The Director of the Watchtower Bible Organization stated that the soft area on the runway had been marked with yellow cones. He stated that the runway maintenance person told them the cones were removed so the runway surface could be graded. The cones had not been replaced.
There were no NOTAMS (Notice to Airmen) issued. The Alaska Supplement, however, states that runway conditions are not monitored and that a visual inspection is recommended. The supplement states that there are dips and ruts to 4 inches deep."
The destination of the WT's President was Tuntutuliak, Alaska, a well know salmon-fishing Inuit village.
Second incident report was filed on June 09, 2003 - Telida, AK
http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20030702X01003&key=1
NTSB Identification: ANC03LA065
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, June 09, 2003 in Telida, AK
Aircraft: Cessna 402B, registration: N710WS
Injuries: 4 Uninjured. This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
On June 9, 2003, about 1300 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 402B airplane, N710WS, sustained substantial damage when its nose landing gear collapsed during landing at the Telida airstrip, Telida, Alaska. The Title 14, CFR Part 91 cross-country flight operated in visual meteorological conditions, and a VFR flight plan was in effect. The airline transport certificated pilot and the three passengers were not injured. The flight was operated by Kingdom Support Services, Inc., in support of its missionary organization. The flight departed Minchumina, Alaska, about 1230, and was en route to Fairbanks, Alaska, with an intermediate stop at Telida.
The NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) had telephone conversations with the pilot on June 10 and June 30. The pilot related during the initial conversation that he was landing on runway 02 at the Telida airstrip, which is 1,900 feet long and composed of dirt and sand. The pilot said that the runway surface was softer than he anticipated, and the nose landing gear collapsed when the nose wheel encountered a soft spot. He said he was unsure of the amount of the damage to the airplane, but it appeared to be confined to the radome, propellers, and nose landing gear. He said he would call the IIC as soon as a mechanic had an opportunity to assess the damage.
On June 30, the pilot telephoned the IIC, and provided several digital photographs of the airplane taken at the Telida airstrip by an aviation mechanic. The photographs disclosed substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage structure in front of the nose landing gear wheel well, and aft of the radome.
The flight left from Minchumina, Alaska, a small native village north of mount McKinley which has only one hotel ...a FISHING LODGE: http://denaliwest.com/summer.html
"Historically a Native area, this is the location of an airfield, a small Indian village, a lodge and store. A post office was established in 1930. The school was closed for the 1999-2000 year due to insufficient students."
Telida, Alaska has a total of 8 housing units, 6 are abandoned, total population of only 2 Natives. Telida is located on the south side of the Swift Fork (McKinley Fork) of the Kuskokwim River, through which whitefish run through.
Why are they spending money on fishing lodges and flying in a private luxurious $250,000 aircraft bought with your contributions? Missionary trips?...my A$$!
