ANC07LA094

NTSB accident investigation · de Havilland DHC-2 MK1 · Kodiak, AK · September 3, 2007

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
September 3, 2007, 12:15 local (20:15 UTC)
Place
Kodiak, AK
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Taxi
Aircraft
N4756Tde Havilland DHC-2 MK1
Weather
Visual (VMC)
Status
Completed · report April 30, 2008
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Alaska Regional Office
Parties
Anchorage FSDO-03
FAA report
20070903021339A
Case key
66771

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 pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions while water taxiing. A factor contributing to the accident was wind gusts.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterTaxi - from landing
Weather condition - gustsFactor
Compensation for wind conditions - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Nose overTaxi - from landing
Terrain condition - water

Analysis

The commercial pilot reported that after landing the float-equipped airplane in the water, a quartering tailwind lifted the left wing, and the airplane nosed over in the harbor. He said the airplane drifted onto the rocks and damaged both wings. He reported there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.

Factual narrative

On September 3, 2007, about 1215 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped de Havilland DHC-2 MK1 airplane, N4756T, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over at Little Eagle Harbor, about 21 miles southwest of Kodiak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Seahawk Air, Kodiak, as a visual flight rules (VFR) passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The commercial certificated pilot and the two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight departed Kodiak Seaplane Base, Kodiak, about 1200.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 5, the pilot reported that after landing, a quartering tailwind lifted the left wing, and the airplane nosed over in the harbor. He said the airplane drifted onto the rocks and damaged both wings. He reported there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.

The airplane was not examined by the NTSB. An NTSB form 6120.1 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report was not completed as requested.

Aircraft

Registration
N4756T
Reported as
de Havilland DHC-2 MK1
Category
Airplane
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Part 135
Operator
Seahawk Aviation
Registered owner
Roland Ruoss
Departed
9Z3 · Kodiak, AK
Destination
Kodiak, 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
51
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Seat
Left

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC)
Visibility
10 statute miles

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.