Redoubt Volcano. Redoubt Volcano erupted for the fourth time this century on December 14, 1989. Following several days of strong explosive activity, a series of lava domes grew in Redoubt's summit crater during the next four months. Most of the domes were destroyed by explosions or collapsed down the volcano's north flank. Some of these events triggered small pyroclastic flows that melted snow and ice on the volcano to form lahars in Drift River Valley, which empties into Cook Inlet 35 kilometers away.

Ash produced by the eruptions severely affected air traffic enroute to Anchorage, Alaska's largest city and a major hub of domestic and international commercial air traffic. Many domestic carriers suspended service to Alaska following major explosive events, and several international carriers temporarily rerouted flights around Alaska. On December 15, a jetliner enroute to Japan encountered an ash cloud while descending into Anchorage. The plane quickly lost power in all four engines and lost 4,000 meters in altitude before the pilots were able to restart the engines. The aircraft landed safely in Anchorage, but it sustained more than $80 million in damage.

 Redoubt Volcano, Alaska, erupting on December 16, 1989. (Photograph by National Park Service.)

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Maintained by John Watson
Updated 06.24.97