- Date
- June 20, 2024, 18:00 local (Jun 21, 2024, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Aleknagik, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N55WEDehavilland Beaver DHC-2 MK.1
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA - ANC FSDO
- FAA report
- 20240620007849A
- Case key
- 194526
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 pitch control of the airplane during initial climb.
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 pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff in a float-equipped airplane, he heard rustling noises coming from the aft cargo section of the airplane. The pilot glanced behind him to identify the source of the noises and, as he looked forward again, the airplane impacted the water resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55WE
- Reported as
- Dehavilland Beaver DHC-2 MK.1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 273
- Built
- 1952
- Airframe hours
- 15,907
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-14B, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Bristol Bay Lodge LLC
- Registered owner
- D & B Aircraft Leasing LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 1, 2024 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- Aleknagik, AK
- Destination
- Togiak Village, AK
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS
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
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 19, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,060 total · 275 in this make and model · 1,012 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- ADL, 25 nm away
- METAR
- PADL 202356Z 05006KT 10SM BKN040 14/10 A2992 RMK AO2 RAE34 SLP136 P0001 60002 T01390100 10161 20100 58006
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 28, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB in all.
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 N55WE · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.