- Date
- July 2, 2024, 15:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Susitna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6LUDe Havilland DHC2
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- 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
- Case key
- 194608
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 selection of an unsuitable takeoff area, resulting in the floats contacting the shallow river bottom during takeoff, and a subsequent loss of control.
Findings · 4
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 was departing from a shallow river in a float-equipped airplane. She reported that she was almost on step when the airplane suddenly veered to the left toward the riverbank. She reduced engine power to abort the takeoff, however the airplane impacted the riverbank and trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In the pilot’s written statement, she reported that the airplane’s floats likely encountered the shallow river bottom during the takeoff run, resulting in the sudden left veer.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6LU
- Reported as
- De Havilland DHC2 (I)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 908
- Built
- 1956
- Airframe hours
- 35,313
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-985 AN-14B, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 135
- Operator
- Trail Ridge Air
- Registered owner
- My Holdings, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 25, 2024 · 35 hours before
- Departed
- PALH · Anchorage, AK
- Destination
- PALH · Anchorage, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather
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
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 30, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,570 total · 95 in this make and model · 1,480 as pilot in command · 160 in the last 90 days · 123 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,400 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.23 inHg
- Observed at
- ALH, 23 nm away
- METAR
- PALH 021153Z AUTO 20004KT 10SM BKN034 OVC075 12/07 A3023 RMK AO2 SLP238 T01170072 10150 20117 51012 TSNO
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 28, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 MB in all.
Other investigations on N6LU · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.