- Date
- June 7, 2002, 17:30 local (Jun 8, 2002, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- King Salmon, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N65223de Havilland DHC-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03
- FAA report
- 20020607016719A
- Case key
- 54886
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's failure to compensate for a crosswind while taxiing, resulting in the right wing striking the water. A contributing factor in the accident was the presence of a crosswind.
Analysis
The commercial certificated pilot was taxiing for takeoff from a remote river in a float-equipped airplane. The pilot said that during a right turn, a combination of river current and strong winds lifted the left wing. The right wingtip and the right elevator struck the water. The wing was bent upward about 30 degrees. The elevator was bent mid-span. The pilot said the wind was from the east about 20 knots, with gusts to 30 knots.
Factual narrative
On June 7, 2002, about 1730 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped deHavilland DHC-2 airplane, N65223, sustained substantial damage when the right wing struck the water during taxi for takeoff from a remote river, about 21 miles northwest of King Salmon, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area business flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the No See Um Lodge Inc., King Salmon. The commercial certificated pilot, and the three passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. VFR company flight following procedures were in effect.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on June 8, the pilot reported that he was taxiing for takeoff from the lodge on the Alagnak River to transport three lodge employees to the Kvichak River. The pilot said that during a right turn, a combination of river current and strong winds lifted the left wing. The right wingtip and the right elevator struck the water. The wing was bent upward about 30 degrees. The elevator was bent mid-span. The pilot said the wind was from the east about 20 knots, with gusts to 30 knots.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N65223
- Reported as
- de Havilland DHC-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 55-4602
- Airframe hours
- 7,093
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- No See Um Lodge Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 2002 · 27 hours before
- Departed
- King Salmon, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 31, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,486 total · 216 in this make and model · 2,406 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 57 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 25, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 421 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N65223 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.