19981018029559A

Acft crashed on takeofff and sustained substantial damage. (.4) the airplane was taking off when the engine quit at the departure end of the airstrip approximately 50 feet above the ground. The pilot landed straight ahead on a short gravel bar and nosed over into a river, with the carburetor remaining above water. The pilot said the front fuel tank was full, and selected. The fuel system remained intact. Disassembly of the engine revealed no mechanical, fuel system, or ignition system anomalies. No fuel was found in the main fuel supply line. A mix of water and fuel was found in the carburetor bowl. (-23) during climb, at an approximate altitude of 50 feet, the engine shuddered and lost power. The pilot made a successful touchdown on a river gravel bar but could not stop the aircraft before it entered a channel of the braided river and rolled inverted. (.19)on October 18, 1998, at 1400 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Dehavilland DHC-2 airplane, N94DC, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a forced landing after takeoff from a remote Lodge about 70 miles east of Chitina, Alaska. The commerical pilot and the five passengers on board were not injured. The airplane was operated by paul e. claus, doing business at Ultima Thule Lodge, of Chitina. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91, returning Lodge guests to Chitina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a company VFR flight plan was filed. The pilot told the NTSB investigator-in-charge during a telephone interview on October 18, that immediately after takeoff the engine vibrated, then quit. He stated that he attempted to land straight ahead on a river bar located off the end of the Lodge landing strip. The airplane hit a rut, and nosed over onto its back.