On May 7, 2004, about 2130 Alaska daylight time, a Douglas C-54B airplane, N44911, sustained substantial damage when an explosion occurred in the left wing during engine start at the Ganes Creek Mine airstrip, about 25 miles west of McGrath, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under Title 14, CFR Part 125, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Brooks Fuel Inc., Fairbanks, Alaska. The captain and first officer, both airline transport certificated pilots, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The intended destination was Fairbanks.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on May 8, the vice president of Brooks Fuel Inc., reported that the crew was beginning engine start procedures and successfully started engines number 4,3, and 2 in succession. As the crew started engine number 1, an explosion occurred in the wing area between engines 1 and 2. Engine 1 and the remaining outboard section of the left wing separated from the rest of the wing. The crew applied engine power in the remaining engines and taxied away from the area of the explosion. The crew then stopped about mid-field and disembarked the airplane.