Northern Air Cargo, LLC (NAC) is an American cargo airline based in Anchorage, Alaska, USA. NAC operates a small fleet of Boeing 737-300s and Boeing 737-400 freighter aircraft within the state of Alaska as well as widebody Boeing 767-300 freighter services throughout the Caribbean and South America. Other services include aircraft maintenance services through its subsidiary, Northern Air Maintenance Services, on demand charters and consolidation of cargo. With a main base at the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, NAC also operates out of a hub at Miami International Airport. NAC is a division of Saltchuk which is the corporate parent of a number of transportation and distribution companies including Aloha Air Cargo, a cargo airline based in Hawaii.
History
Northern Air Cargo, LLC was established in 1956 as a charter freight service by Robert "Bobby" Sholton and Maurice Carlson.
In 2019, NAC retired its last Boeing 737-200 freighter aircraft with the replacements being later model and improved Boeing 737-300s and 400s.
Destinations
As of February 2022, Northern Air Cargo, LLC operates scheduled freight services to the following Alaskan domestic destinations:. The company also offers charter services. Alaska Anchorage (PANC / ANC) Aniak (PANI / ANI) Barrow / Utqiagvik (PABR / BRW) Bethel (PABE / BET) Deadhorse (PASC / SCC) Dillingham (PADL / DLG) King Salmon (PAKN / AKN) Kotzebue (PAOT / OTZ) Nome (PAOM / OME) Unalakleet (PAUN / UNK)
Northern Air Cargo, LLC also operates in the following Caribbean and South American destinations:
Caribbean
Bridgetown, Barbados (TBPB / BGI) Kingston–Norman Manley, Jamaica (MKJP / KIN) Montego Bay, Jamaica (MKJS / MBJ) Port-au-Prince, Haiti (MTPP / PAP) Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago (TTPP / POS) San Juan, Puerto Rico (TJSJ / SJU) Santo Domingo–Las Americas, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (MDSD / SDQ) South America Georgetown–Cheddi Jagan, Guyana (SYCJ / GEO) Lima, Peru (SPJC / LIM) Paramaribo, Suriname (SMJP / PBM)
Fleet
Northern Air Cargo LLC's fleet as of July 2020:
Previously operated
Northern Air Cargo has previously operated the following aircraft:
Service
Northern Air Cargo, LLC (NAC) currently is contracted to handle passenger services for the following:
Scheduled Flights
General Air Cargo Service
Priority Air Cargo Service
Express Air Cargo Service: NACPAC Dangerous Goods: Charters Charter Services
Accidents and incidents
On July 20, 1996, Northern Air Cargo Flight 33, a Douglas DC-6 (registration N313RS) was flying from (Emmonak to Aniak) when it crashed during an attempted an emergency landing at Russian Mission after the #3 engine catching fire. When the aircraft turned towards its final approach, its right wing was seen folded up. The plane rolled to the right, pitched nose down, and flew into the ground. All 4 on board were killed, including a jump seat passenger, who was a bush pilot employed by Grant Aviation. The cause of the crash was determined to be the fatigue on the engine and improper procedures (failure to feather #3 Prop) during an emergency by the pilots on board. On September 25, 2001, the left wing broke off of a Northern Air Cargo Douglas DC-6BF, registration N867TA, while landing on Alpine Airstrip, AK, on a cargo flight from Deadhorse Airport. The aircraft subsequently veered off the left side of the runway and was destroyed in a post-crash fire. All 3 crewmembers on board survived. The aircraft was written off. On February 14, 2002, Northern Air Cargo Flight 20, a Boeing 727 (registration N190AJ), struck its right wingtip while landing on runway 8 (today's runway 9) at Ralph Wien Memorial Airport in Kotzebue, Alaska following a visual approach. None of the four occupants were injured and the crew was unaware of the wingtip strike until the flight engineer noticed the damage while conducting his preflight inspection prior to departure. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.