De Havilland BEAVER L-20A (DHC-2) N4957

Summary

On 11 June 2024 at about 00:35 local time, a De Havilland BEAVER L-20A (DHC-2) registered N4957, operated by Talon Air Service Inc, was involved in an accident near Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States. 6 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 June 2024 at 00:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Alsworth, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.2037, -154.3968

Aircraft

De Havilland BEAVER L-20A (DHC-2)

Registration

N4957

Category

Airplane

Year built

1953

Engines

1

Operator

Talon Air Service Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Port Alsworth → Soldotna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC24LA049

1 person was seriously injured.

A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and five passengers departed from a remote lake in the float-equipped airplane. The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff, he felt the manifold pressure decrease, and he advanced the propeller and throttle controls. The engine initially responded with an increase in rpm and manifold pressure but subsequently lost total power. The pilot performed a forced landing into a heavily wooded area, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal engine operation. Passengers reported that the pilot made an aggressive steep turn at low altitude with no change in engine noise from takeoff to impact with terrain. Based on available evidence, it is likely that the engine sustained a partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.