# Accident 19981018029559A: Dhav DHC2*, Chitina, AK, October 18, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 18, 1998, 14:00 local time - Place: Chitina, AK - Airport: Ultima Thule Lodge - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Operator: XUOC - Location: 61.4501° N, 143.1508° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.4501&lon=-143.1508&mi=10 - Aircraft: N94DC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N94DC) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1 (registry code 2808006, https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-2-mk-1) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series (registry code 52008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DHAV DHC2* - Reported engine: PWA R985AN1 - People aboard: 6 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 13,250 total, 2,750 in this make and model, 320 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA007](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA007) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981018029559A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 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. ## 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 ANC99LA007](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA007), Oct 18, 1998: de Havilland DHC-2 (N94DC), Chitina, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight which failed to detect water contamination in the fuel system. A factor was the unsuitable terrain in the emergency landing area. ## Other reports on N94DC (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20190627008119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190627008119A), Jun 27, 2019: Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1 (N94DC), Ketchikan, AK, Substantial damage. On Thursday June 27st 2019 at approximately 09:45 am, a DHC-2-MK1, N94DC registered to V2 aviation LLC and operated by pacific airways, inc., made a hard water… - [Accident 19821218064979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19821218064979A), Dec 18, 1982: Dhav DHC2* (N94DC), Port Alsworth, AK, Substantial damage. After touchdown and during landing roll out, right ski sank into deep snow and aircraft flipped inverted. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.