- Date
- February 5, 2008, 12:50 local (16:50 UTC)
- Place
- McGrath, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N323KTde Havilland DHC-2
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 20080205009969A
- Case key
- 67472
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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during an aborted takeoff.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The commercial certificated pilot was departing a remote, snow-covered airstrip on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, cross-country positioning flight in a wheel-ski equipped airplane. The pilot reported that during the takeoff run, he aborted the takeoff because of soft snow conditions. As the airplane slowed, it drifted to the right, and the right wing struck a tree. From the cockpit, the pilot said he saw what appeared to be minor scuffing on the right wingtip. The pilot then took off in the opposite direction, and landed at his destination. Inspection of the airplane by maintenance personnel revealed denting of the leading edge of the right wing, denting along the underside of the right wing, and a tear in the underside of the right wing aileron.
Factual narrative
The commercial certificated pilot was departing a remote, snow-covered airstrip on a Title 14, CFR Part 91, cross-country positioning flight in a wheel-ski equipped airplane. The pilot reported that during the takeoff run, he aborted the takeoff because of soft snow conditions. As the airplane slowed, it drifted to the right, and the right wing struck a tree. From the cockpit, the pilot said he saw what appeared to be minor scuffing on the right wingtip. The pilot then departed the opposite direction on the airstrip, and landed at his destination. Inspection of the airplane by maintenance personnel revealed denting of the leading edge of the right wing, denting along the underside of the right wing, and a tear in the underside of the right wing aileron.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N323KT
- Reported as
- de Havilland DHC-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1022
- Engine
- P & W R-985, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Rust's Flying Service Inc.
- Registered owner
- Rust Properties LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 8KA · McGrath, AK
- Destination
- PATK · Talkeetna, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- 8KA · Tatitna Airstrip, runway 09
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
- 32
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 3,098 total · 422 in this make and model · 22 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N323KT · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.