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N5343G with N3847Q a chum at Coldfoot, Alaska.
Photo: Fred Wallis © 13 July 2023 - Aird Archives
N5343G on tundras at Talkeetna.
Photo: Fred Wallis © 08 April 2006 - Aird Archives
N5343G wearing proper footwear.
Photo: Fred Wallis © 06 April 2004
N5343G sporting mods at Fairbanks in mid November 2001
Photo: Anthony  L. Payne  ©  November 2001
N5343G of Aniak Air Guides in summer attire.
Photo: Unknown photographer © July 1999 - Aird Archives
N5343G now with matching floats.
Photo: Neil Aird © 12 September 1995
N5343G enjoying evening solitude.
Photos: Unknown photographer © July 1986 - Aird Archives
N5343G of Tuwala Quah Lake Lodge at Lake Hood.
Photo: Unknown photographer © July 1984 - Aird Archives
54-1716 at Lakehurst, New Jersey.
Photo: Robert Esposito © 1968 - Aird Archives

862

56-1716 • N5343G • (N23RL)

N5343G

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54-1716 US Army # 1559. L-20 No. 560. Command A-6. Delivered 03-Feb-1956. Built as L-20A and re-designated U-6A in 1962.

N5343G Alaska Travel Air Anchorage, AK. Regd Jan-1977.

N5343G Civil Air Patrol Inc., Maxwell AFB., Montgomery, AL. On USCAR at 29-Sep-1979.

N5343G Larry L. Ludlow, St. Mary’s, AK. Regd Feb-1980.

N5343G Universal Motors Inc., dba unknown, Anchorage, AK. Regd 19-Oct-1989. On USCAR at 02-Mar-1990 & 29-Feb-1992.

N5343G Tuwala Quah Lake Lodge. Based Lake Hood, Anchorage, AK. Circa 1984.

N5343G Jerry Pippen, Pedro Bay, AK. Regd Aug-1993. On USCAR at 01-Oct-1994.

Airworthiness Date: 18-Jun-1996. Category – Restricted – Other.

N5343G Rick Townsend, Aniak, AK. Operated by Aniak Air Guides. Circa. Sep-1996.

Accident: 50 mi. E of Aniak, Alaska. 24-Sep-1996. On September 24, 1996, at 1100 Alaska daylight time, the aircraft registered to and operated by Aniak Air Guides of Aniak, Alaska, crashed into terrain after an aborted takeoff from Oskawalik Lake, which is located approximately 50 miles east of Aniak. The on demand air taxi flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, was departing the lake and the destination was Aniak, Alaska. A company visual flight rules flight plan was in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The certificated commercial pilot and the two passengers were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. During a telephone conversation with the pilot on September 26, 1996, he stated that he landed on the lake to pick up two hunters. While they were loading the airplane, a snow shower moved in and the visibility degraded from 3 miles to less than 1/4 mile. After approximately 5 minutes, the snow shower stopped and visibility improved to 5 miles. He elected to takeoff. He brushed his hand on the tail surface of the airplane and noted that the snow brushed off easily. He did not brush any more snow off the airplane. The pilot stated that when he started the engine he looked out at the tail and saw that the snow had blown off the tail. He assumed that it would blow off the rest of the airplane during the takeoff run. The airplane lifted off the surface of the lake and would not climb above 5 feet of altitude. The pilot aborted the takeoff and had insufficient room to stop the airplane which collided with the shoreline.

Total time since new: 7,594 hrs at accident.

N5343G Alaska Travel Air Inc., Anchorage, AK. Circa 1999.

N5343G Rainbow Bay Resort Inc  / G Dawson, Pedro Bay, AK. Regd 14-Dec-1999.

(N23RL) Reserved 18-Jun-1997 Cancelled Sep-2001.

N5343G Owned by Coyote Air LLC.,  Coldfoot, AK. Operated by Dirk Nickish, Fairbanks, AK, who operated from Coldfoot, AK. Regd 13-Sep-2001.

Accident: Approx. 65 NE of Arctic Village, 65 NE, Alaska. 16-Sep-2001. About 12:00 Alaska daylight time, the aircraft sustained substantial damage during a takeoff from a remote area, about 65 miles northeast of Arctic Village, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to Coyote Air LLC.,  The airline transport certificated pilot, and the one passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, on December 5, 2001, the pilot reported he flew to a remote gravel bar located along the Coleen River to pick up a friend who was rafting in the area. The pilot said he was departing toward the north from an area that was about 1,000 feet long. During the takeoff roll, the tail-wheel struck a large rock. He continued the takeoff and landed at Coldfoot, Alaska, without incident. A post accident examination of the tail-wheel area on December 4, revealed damage to the tail-wheel casting, fuselage bulkheads, and a stringer near the tail-wheel attach point. The airplane repair conducted at an FAA approved repair station, included replacement of bulkheads at fuselage stations 228 and 224, and replacement of fuselage skin at stations 228 through 204. Doublers were fabricated and installed at stations 244 through 208. An FAA Form 337, Major Repair and Alteration, was completed by the repair station.

Total time since new: 9,078 hours.

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