De Havilland DHC-2 N121KT

Summary

On 14 June 2012 at about 03:15 local time, a De Havilland DHC-2 registered N121KT, operated by Rustair Inc, was involved in an accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, United States. 7 people were 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

14 June 2012 at 03:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Talkeetna, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Talkeetna Airport (PATK)

Coordinates

62.3500, -150.2833

Aircraft

De Havilland DHC-2

Registration

N121KT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Rustair Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Talkeetna → Talkeetna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC12LA051

Nobody was injured.

The loss of engine power after departure due to the separation of an engine cylinder.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and six passengers were on an air tour flight over a remote area. After departure, and about 1200 feet above the ground, the engine began to run rough followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot made a forced landing to a gravel bar along a river. On landing, the airplane bounced over logs and ditches and sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination revealed that the No. 2 cylinder head had cracks radiating from the spark plug hole throughout the cylinder head, and it had begun to separate from the cylinder base.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.