De Havilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A) N121KT

Summary

On 17 December 2012 at about 15:50 local time, a De Havilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A) registered N121KT, operated by Rustair Inc, was involved in an accident near Skwentna, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 December 2012 at 15:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Skwentna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.9764, -152.0675

Aircraft

De Havilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A)

Registration

N121KT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Rustair Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Skwentna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC13CA018

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's loss of control while landing in gusting wind conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that when he departed, about 50 minutes before the accident, the wind was “light out of the north, northwest." As he continued the flight, the wind became variable southwest to northeast. Once he reached his destination, an off-airport snow-covered site, landing the wheel/ski-equipped airplane required a correction for a right quartering headwind that was gusting 20 to 25 knots. During the approach, about 20 to 25 feet above the site, the wind shifted to a tailwind. The airplane landed hard in a three-point attitude. A postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed structural damage to the empennage. There were no reported preaccident malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.