20200731009912A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Dehavilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A) · Soldotna, AK · July 31, 2020

Date: July 31, 2020 · 08:27 local
Place: Soldotna, AK
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: ZKTC
Collision: Midair collision
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4982U
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC20LA074
Reported as: Dehavilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A)
People aboard: 6
Fatal injuries: 7
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 19,530 total3,600 in this make and model130 in the last 90 days

N4982URegistration cancelled Mar 12, 2022 · Dehavilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A)S/N 904 · Built 1956 Airframe modelDehavilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A)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.

Aircraft converged at time and coordinates given. This aircraft appeared to be in a cruise-climb at a westerly heading based on air traffic data, when it converged with the other aircraft. The PA-12 involved was painted dark green on the wings with a dark green and tan fuselage. This may have made the PA-12 difficult to see against a forested background.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT CONVERGED AT TIME AND COORDINATES GIVEN. THIS AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE IN A CRUISE-CLIMB AT A WESTERLY HEADING BASED ON AIR TRAFFIC DATA, WHEN IT CONVERGED WITH THE OTHER AIRCRAFT. THE PA-12 INVOLVED WAS PAINTED DARK GREEN ON THE WINGS WITH A DARK GREEN AND TAN FUSELAGE. THIS MAY HAVE MADE THE PA-12 DIFFICULT TO SEE AGAINST A FORESTED BACKGROUND.

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 ANC20LA074Accident · 7 fatalClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportSoldotna, AKThe failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other airplane. Contributing to the accident were (1) the PA-12 pilot’s decision to fly with a known severe vision deficiency that had resulted in denial of his most recent application for medical certification…Jul 31, 2020 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N2587MPiper PA-12Accident 20200731011842A · Substantial damage · 7 fatal