De Havilland DHC 2 N561TA

Summary

On 28 May 2017 at about 20:15 local time, a De Havilland DHC 2 registered N561TA, operated by Talkeetna Air Taxi Inc, was involved in an accident near Petersville, 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

28 May 2017 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Petersville, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Great Gorge of Ruth Glacier (N/A)

Coordinates

62.9361, -150.6844

Aircraft

De Havilland DHC 2

Registration

N561TA

Category

Airplane

Year built

1956

Engines

1

Operator

Talkeetna Air Taxi Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Talkeetna → Petersville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA294

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s selection of unsuitable terrain for taxiing, which resulted in a nose-over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the ski-equipped airplane reported that, as the tailwheel touched down on the glacier, the snow was deeper and softer than he had expected. He added that, during the uphill landing, he chose not to stop the airplane and risk getting stuck. Instead, he completed a turn at the top of the landing area but was unable to straighten the direction of travel enough for a takeoff. Subsequently, to straighten the airplane before the takeoff, he completed a left 360° turn. During the downhill takeoff, the airplane had poor acceleration and insufficient airspeed to fly, so he aborted the takeoff. As he reduced the engine power, the airplane slowed to what he felt to be a reasonable speed, and he initiated a left turn to taxi back to the top. Subsequently, the right ski dug into the snow, and the airplane came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.