# NTSB ANC02LA051: de Havilland DHC-2, N62197, Talkeetna, AK, June 13, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 13, 2002, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Talkeetna, AK - Coordinates: 62.3125, -149.753616 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=62.3125&lon=-149.7536&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 7 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 54971 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA051 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54971/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54971 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA051 ## Probable cause The pilot's selection of an unsuitable taxi area, which resulted in substantial damage to the left elevator when the tailwheel encountered a hole. A factor associated with the accident was rough/uneven terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, taxi - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selected, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor) ## Analysis The certificated commercial pilot reported that after an uneventful glacier landing, he wanted to reposition the airplane to an area that was better suited for unloading his passengers. As he taxied the airplane up the glacier, the airplane's tailwheel entered a hole in the hard-packed snow, and the left elevator horn dug into the snow. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On June 13, 2002, about 1100 Alaska daylight time, a wheel/ski-equipped de Havilland DHC-2 airplane, N62197, sustained substantial damage when it encountered rough terrain while taxiing after landing at an off-airport site. The accident site was on the Tokositna Glacier, 30 miles northwest of Talkeetna, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand charter flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was registered to Gattis Aircraft, Inc., and operated by Doug Geeting Aviation, Talkeetna. The certificated commercial pilot, and the six passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the Talkeetna Airport, Talkeetna, about 1015. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on June 15, the pilot reported that after an uneventful glacier landing, he wanted to reposition the airplane to an area that was better suited for unloading his passengers. He said that as he taxied the airplane up the glacier, the airplane's tailwheel entered a hole in the hard-packed snow, and the left elevator horn dug into the snow. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N62197](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N62197), registered now, S/N 1177, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: de Havilland DHC-2 - Registry model: [Dehavilland DHC-2 MK.I](https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-2-mk-i) (registry code 2808007) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-14B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-an-14b) (registry code 51654, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 560419 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R-985 450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Doug Geeting Avaition - Registered owner: Gattis Aircraft - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: TKA, Talkeetna, AK - Destination: TKA, Talkeetna, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review March 31, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 2,500 total, 600 in this make and model, 2,000 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 50 statute miles - Temperature: 68 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020613012809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020613012809A), Jun 13, 2002: Dhav L20, Talkeetna, AK, No damage. (-23) According to the pilot he was taxiing to parking when the aircraft's tail wheel went into a hole. The left elevator horn struck ice and snow causing… ## Other investigations on N62197 (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 ANC14LA058](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC14LA058), Jul 31, 2014: Dehavilland DHC 2 (N62197), Talkeetna, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection that did not detect that the bulk fuel tank was full and led to an unanticipated heavy airplane weight and his failure to use the entire soft, wet, and… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 8, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54971. 515 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 515 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445365&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF 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. --- 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.