# NTSB ANC04LA097: de Havilland DHC-2, N49GB, Kodiak, AK, August 26, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 26, 2004, 12:50 local (20:50 UTC) - Place: Kodiak, AK - Coordinates: 58.616664, -153.899993 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.6167&lon=-153.9000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 6 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03 - NTSB case key (mKey): 59991 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC04LA097 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59991/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC04LA097 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a river bank during the takeoff run. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, takeoff - roll/run - terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment - aborted takeoff - not performed, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The airline transport certificated pilot was departing a remote river in a float-equipped airplane to transport fishing lodge guests to a wilderness lodge. The pilot reported to the NTSB investigator-in-charge during a telephone conversation that he was departing down-river along a curved section of the river that was about 150 feet wide. During the takeoff, the airplane was on-step, accelerating toward the mouth of the river, when the floats of the airplane collided with a sand river bank, and the airplane continued onto the tidal beach area of the river. The airplane received damage to the fuselage, propeller, and the right wing. In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, the pilot indicated that during the takeoff run, the aircraft would not accelerate, and he lost directional control. He reported that there was insufficient distance remaining to stop the airplane before hitting the river bank. ## Factual narrative On August 26, 2004, about 1250 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped de Havilland DHC-2 airplane, N49GB, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a river bank during the takeoff run on a remote river, about 70 miles northwest of Kodiak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country business flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Alaska's Wilderness Lodge Inc., Port Alsworth, Alaska. The airline transport certificated pilot and the five passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight was en route to the operator's lodge at Port Alsworth, Alaska. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on August 26, the pilot reported that he was departing down-river with Alaska's Wilderness Lodge clients from the Big River, located along the coast of the Alaska Peninsula, in the Katmai National Park. The pilot said that the river was about 150 feet wide, and during the takeoff run along a curved section of the river, the airplane was on-step, accelerating toward the mouth of the river, when the floats of the airplane collided with a sand river bank. The airplane continued onto the tidal beach area of the river, and received damage to the fuselage, propeller, and the right wing. The pilot notified the lodge of the accident via satellite telephone, and the passengers were retrieved by another lodge airplane and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Kodiak. In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, the pilot indicated that during the takeoff run, the aircraft would not accelerate and he lost directional control. He reported that there was insufficient distance remaining to stop the airplane before hitting the river bank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N49GB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N49GB), registered now, S/N 1181, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: de Havilland DHC-2 - Registry model: [Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2](https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-beaver-dhc-2) (registry code 2800108) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1181 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R-985 450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Alaska's Wilderness Lodge Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Kodiak, AK - Destination: Port Alsworth, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review November 5, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 8,478 total, 935 in this make and model, 6,309 as pilot in command, 156 in the last 90 days, 58 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,000 ft broken - Temperature: 61 °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 20040826022009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040826022009A), Aug 26, 2004: Dhav DHC2*, Kodiak, AK, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot indicated that during a takeoff from big river (approximately 150' wide) during his climb out the floats collided with a sand river bank and… 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.