20130604009819A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1 · Petersburg, AK · June 4, 2013

Date: June 4, 2013 · 15:20 local
Place: Petersburg, AK
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: LAOA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N616W
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC13FA054
Reported as: Dehavilland Beaver DHC-2 MK.1
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series
People aboard: 7
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 6
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,934 total1,800 in this make and model123 in the last 90 days

N616WRegistration cancelled May 30, 2018 · Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1S/N 1290 · Built 1958 Airframe modelDehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1 Engine modelPratt & Whitney R-985 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

During an airtour flight that initiated in Petersburg, the pilot lost situational awareness while attempting to climb over a ridge. The aircraft was flown in a nose high attitude at the maximum angle of climb with negligable flaps extended. The pilot stated that he saw trees in close proximity below the aircraft and initiated a steep turn to the left to avoid the rising terrain. Due to the slow airspeed and excessive bank, the aircraft stalled and crashed into the mountain.

As the FAA filed it

DURING AN AIRTOUR FLIGHT THAT INITIATED IN PETERSBURG, THE PILOT LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB OVER A RIDGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLOWN IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE AT THE MAXIMUM ANGLE OF CLIMB WITH NEGLIGABLE FLAPS EXTENDED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SAW TREES IN CLOSE PROXIMITY BELOW THE AIRCRAFT AND INITIATED A STEEP TURN TO THE LEFT TO AVOID THE RISING TERRAIN. DUE TO THE SLOW AIRSPEED AND EXCESSIVE BANK, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND CRASHED INTO THE MOUNTAIN.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC13FA054Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportPetersburg, AKThe pilot’s failure to maintain adequate altitude above the trees, and his subsequent failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering to avoid the trees, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall/spin and an uncontrolled descent.Jun 4, 2013 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N616W · 3

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

Incident 19870117006869ILevel Off Touchdown · Kake, AKBounced 3 times during water landing into ocean swell. Float flying wire ends and strut fittings broke.Jan 17, 1987 · Minor damage Accident 19760809034519AFinal Approach · Petersburg, AKPrecautionary ldg on water,on final entered a fog layer & lost visual reference. Float equipped.Aug 9, 1976 · Substantial damage Accident 19730228008339AForced Landing · Sitka, AKManeuvering blo low clgs,set up ldg. Eng lost pwr and plt lnd near beach. Floats hit rocks at shoreFeb 28, 1973 · Substantial damage