# Accident 19970719019039A: Dhav DHC2MK1, Alaknek River, AK, July 19, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 19, 1997, 08:45 local time
- Place: Alaknek River, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 58.7495° N, 156.5405° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.7495&lon=-156.5405&mi=10
- Aircraft: N68084, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N68084) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Boeing 757-258 (registry code 1384918, https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-757-258) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DHAV DHC2MK1
- Reported engine: PWA R985*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,000 total, 350 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC97LA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA106) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970719019039A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON TAKEOFF. (.4)THE PILOT WAS MAKING A NO-WIND TAKEOFF DOWNSTREAM FROM A 4,000-FOOT SLOW FLOWING RIVER.  THE TAKEOFF WATER RUN FOR THE CONDITIONS WAS CALCULATED AT 1,300 FEET.  THE PILOT AND PASSENGER BOTH REPORTED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE RPM JUST PRIOR TO LIFT-OFF FROM THE WATER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT STOPPING DISTANCE BEFORE REACHING A RIVER BANK. THE PILOT ROTATED THE AIRPLANE OFF THE WATER BELOW FLYING SPEED, CLEARED THE BANK, AND SETTLED BACK INTO THE TUNDRA. THE PILOT STATED THAT A SIMILAR LOSS OF ENGINE RPM HAD HAPPENED BEFORE, BUT WAS CONSIDERED TRANSIENT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC97LA106](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97LA106), Jul 19, 1997: de Havilland DHC-2 (N68084), Alagnak River, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A partial loss of engine power for an undetermined reason, and the pilot's intentional operation of the airplane with known deficiencies.

## Other reports on N68084 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19790611011439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790611011439A), Jun 11, 1979: Dhav DHC2/ (N68084), Stuart Island, CN, Destroyed. Pilots body and parts of the airplane floats recovered from river. No other information available.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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