# NTSB ANC02LA115: de Havilland DHC-3, N335AK, Tenakee Springs, AK, September 4, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 4, 2002, 08:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Tenakee Springs, AK - Coordinates: 57.779724, -135.218612 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=57.7797&lon=-135.2186&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 7 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 18, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-JNU FSDO 05 - NTSB case key (mKey): 55662 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA115 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55662/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA115 ## Probable cause The pilot's misjudgment of the airplane's speed/distance from a dock resulting in the airplane drifting into a wooden piling during a taxi from landing. A factor in the accident was the presence of a tidal current. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, taxi - from landing - object - other - distance/speed - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - water (contributing factor) ## Analysis The commercial certificated pilot was taxiing an amphibious float-equipped airplane to a seaplane dock after landing on a scheduled air taxi flight. The pilot shut-off the engine as the airplane approached the dock. A tidal current carried the airplane beyond the intended docking area, and the airplane drifted backward into a wooden piling. The operator reported that the left aileron was removed for repair. A 37-inch portion of the aileron trailing edge was replaced. ## Factual narrative On September 4, 2002, about 0830 Alaska daylight time, an amphibious float-equipped de Havilland DHC-3 airplane, N335AK, sustained substantial damage when it drifted into a wooden piling while taxiing from landing at the Tenakee Springs Seaplane Base, Tenakee Springs, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated as Flight 71, by Wings of Alaska, Juneau, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot, and the six passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the Juneau Seaplane Base at 0810. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 5, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector, Juneau Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), reported that the airplane collided with a piling at the Tenakee Springs seaplane dock. The airplane received minor damage to the left wingtip and the pitot tube. The left wing aileron received damage to the trailing edge. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on September 6, the president of Wings of Alaska reported that the pilot was taxiing to the seaplane dock after landing. The pilot shut-off the engine as the airplane approached the dock. A tidal current carried the airplane beyond the intended docking area, and the airplane drifted backward into a wooden piling. The operator reported that the left aileron was removed for repair. A 37-inch portion of the aileron trailing edge was replaced. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N335AK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N335AK-2013-04-25), registration cancelled 2013-04-25, S/N 263, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: de Havilland DHC-3 - Registry model: [Dehavilland DHC-3](https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-3) (registry code 2802412) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 263 - Airframe hours: 8092 - Engines: P&W R-1340 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Alaska Juneau Aeronautics Inc., doing business as Wings Of Alaska - Registered owner: Wings Airline Services Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, August 9, 2002, 65 hours before - Departed: PAJN, JUNEAU, AK - Destination: TKE, TENAKEE SPRINGS, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: TKE, Tenakee Springs Seaplane Base ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review April 14, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 4,500 total, 400 in this make and model, 4,300 as pilot in command, 300 in the last 90 days, 75 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °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 20020904024579A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020904024579A), Sep 4, 2002: Dhav DHC3, Tenakee Springs, AK, Minor damage. (-23) While docking float plane, the current of water caused aircraft to get away from pilot and minor damage to aileron and wing tip. 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.