# NTSB ANC02LA076: de Havilland DHC-2, N93AK, Juneau, AK, July 12, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 12, 2002, 08:40 local (16:40 UTC) - Place: Juneau, AK - Coordinates: 58.301387, -134.420562 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.3014&lon=-134.4206&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 29, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA Juneau FSDO-05 - NTSB case key (mKey): 55233 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA076 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55233/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55233 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA076 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper flare resulting in a hard landing. Factors contributing to the accident were the quartering tailwind, and the inadvertent water loop. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - landing gear,float assembly - separation - water loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - water ## Analysis The pilot reported that he was repositioning the floatplane from the anchorage to the passenger docks. The pilot landed the airplane hard with a quartering tailwind, and inadvertently water looped the airplane. During the hard landing and water loop, the right float separated from the airplane. The airplane settled into the water, nosed over, and submerged, damaging the right wing. ## Factual narrative On July 12, 2002, about 0840 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped de Havilland DHC-2 airplane, N93AK, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing when the right landing gear float separated from the airplane, and the airplane nosed over at the Juneau Harbor Seaplane base, Juneau, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Alaska Coastal Airlines, dba Wings Airways, of Juneau, as a visual flight rules (VFR) positioning flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company VFR flight following procedures were in effect. The airplane was being repositioned from its anchorage in Juneau to the downtown passenger docks. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on July 12, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector (ASI) who was at the accident site, said according to numerous witnesses, the airplane landed hard, and bounced several times, appearing to skid across the surface of the water sideways. She said during the hard landing the accident airplane's right float partially separated from the airplane, and the airplane started to sink. She said the airplane eventually nosed over, and submerged suspended from the surface of the water by the left float. In a written statement to the FAA dated July 12, the pilot said he made an approach and landed toward the east. He said as he approached the surface of the water, he corrected for a slight left crosswind which he estimated to be five knots. He said the airplane touched down with the left float first, and he retarded the throttle. He said when the right float touched down it dug in, and the airplane bounced once or twice. He said the airplane came to rest with its right side low in the water, and he climbed out onto the left float where he was picked up by a boat. The airplane then submerged. The right wing of the airplane sustained substantial damage during the accident. At the time of the accident, the Juneau weather station was reporting winds from 260 degrees at 6 knots. The visibility was 10 statute miles, and the temperature and dewpoint were 55 and 52 degrees F, respectively. The sky condition was reported as few clouds at 3500 feet msl, and the altimeter setting was 30.17 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: N93AK (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: de Havilland DHC-2 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 809 - Airframe hours: 26864 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R-985 450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Alaska Coastal Airlines, doing business as Wings of Alaska - Registered owner: Alaska Juneau Aeronautics, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 20, 2002, 57 hours before - Departed: 5Z1, Juneau, AK - Destination: Juneau, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: 5Z1, Juneau Harbor Seaplane, runway NW, 10,000 × 1,000 ft, water ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 7, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 5,100 total, 150 in this make and model, 5,010 as pilot in command, 185 in the last 90 days, 95 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.17 inHg - Observed at: PAJN ## 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 20020712016879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020712016879A), Jul 12, 2002: Dhav DHC2MK1, Juneau, AK, No damage. (-23) While approaching the seadrome for a landing, Mr. Williams made his approach to landing to land to the east. The wind conditions at the time were… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 6, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55233. 855 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 733 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40461466&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Interview Statements (item 2, .PDF, 122 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40461467&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Interview%20Statements-Master.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.