# Accident 20110626012799A: Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1, Talkeetna, AK, June 26, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 26, 2011, 16:45 local time
- Place: Talkeetna, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: TL7C
- Location: 62.9667° N, 150.7333° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.9667&lon=-150.7333&mi=10
- Aircraft: N561TA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DEHAVILLAND DHC-2 MK 1
- Reported engine: PRATT & WHITNEY R-985
- People aboard: 7
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,400 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 130 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC11CA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC11CA057) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110626012799A

## Narrative

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

AT APPROXIMATELY 0045 ZULU (1645 ADT) ON 6/26/2011, N561TA, A DEHAVILLAND DHC-2-MKI BEAVER, OPERATING PURSUANT TO §135 REGULATIONS AND UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES, WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DURING TAKEOFF.  THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT MOUNTAIN HOUSE EAST (62? 58' 33.60"N LATITUDE, 150? 45' 12.52"W LONGITUDE) WHICH IS ON THE RUTH GLACIER IN DENALI NATIONAL PARK OUTSIDE OF TALKEETNA ALASKA.  THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT IN COMMAND AND SIX PASSENGERS WERE ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT WHICH WAS CONDUCTING A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER THE TALKEETNA AIR TAXI INC. FAA §135 OPERATING CERTIFICATE.  NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT.DHC-2 N561TA WAS ON DEPARTURE ROLL WITH THE CONVENTIONAL LANDING GEAR EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT'S TAIL UP, HEADING DOWN THE GLACIER WITH AN ESTIMATED 8-10 KNOT TAILWIND.  THE PILOT IN COMMAND STATED THAT JUST PRIOR TO ROTATING, HE HAD FELT TWO SERIES OF BUMPS WITH THE AIRCRAFT'S HYDRAULIC WHEEL/SKI MAIN AND TAIL LANDING GEAR.  DHC-2 N561TA WAS ABLE TO TAKEOFF PRIOR TO REACHING THE BOTTOM OF THE GLACIER.  THE PILOT IN COMMAND STATED THAT THE SOFT STICKY SNOW MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO HIS LONGER THAN USUAL TAKEOFF ROLL.THE PILOT IN COMMAND STATED THAT WHILE IN-FLIGHT, HE HAD FELT BINDING IN THE AIRCRAFT'S YAW CONTROL WHEN MAKING LEFT RUDDER CONTROL INPUTS.  DHC-2 N561TA LANDED AT TALKEETNA AIRPORT (PATK) WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT IN COMMAND, AS WELL AS TALKEETNA AIR TAXI'S DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE, THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE REQUIRING MAJOR REPAIRS INCLUDING BULKHEAD REPLACEMENT.     WEATHER OBSERVATIONS FOR NEARBY TALKEETNA AIRPORT (PATK) AT 0053 ZULU (1653 ADT) WERE WINDS CALM AT 0 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, LIGHT MODERATE RAIN, SKY CONDITIONS SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 037, BROKEN CLOUDS AT 080.  TEMPERATURE 19? CELSIUS, DEW POINT 08 AND ALTIMETER 29.91 INCHES OF MERCURY.

## 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 ANC11CA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC11CA057), Jun 27, 2011: Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1 (N561TA), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff.

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.
