# NTSB ANC25LA085: Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1, N232KT, Soldotna, AK, August 9, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 9, 2025, 09:00 local (17:00 UTC) - Place: Soldotna, AK - Coordinates: 60.174017, -150.40188 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=60.1740&lon=-150.4019&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 23, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 200744 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC25LA085 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200744/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200744 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC25LA085 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from rising terrain while maneuvering at low altitude. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md?model=2808006), [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) - [Terrain: mountainous/hilly terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010/cases.md?model=2808006), [All aircraft, 329 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010/cases.md) - [Aircraft capability: climb capability](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061010/cases.md?model=2808006), [All aircraft, 183 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=2808006), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) ## Analysis While en route to a remote fishing lodge in a float-equipped airplane, one of the passengers reported that the pilot saw a pack of wolves chasing a herd of caribou. The passenger said that the pilot then reduced the airspeed and entered a right-hand, descending orbit to allow all the passengers to see the animals below. The pilot reported that, during a right-hand turn, the airspeed was indicating about 75 knots and the airplane’s altitude was about 500 ft above ground level (agl), when the airplane encountered a downdraft and it began to descend. He added engine power and attempted to climb, but he realized he was not going to be able to clear the rising terrain ahead and performed a forced landing to an area of rock and tundra-covered terrain. During the forced landing, the airplane’s float struts and spreaderbars collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage. A review of archived Federal Aviation Administration Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the airplane entered the orbits at 300 feet agl and the groundspeed was about 80 knots. As the airplane exited the multiple orbits, it was about 97 feet agl, while traveling at 58 knots groundspeed. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N232KT](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N232KT), registered now, S/N 52, built 1948 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: DEHAVILLAND DHC-2 MK 1 - Registry model: [Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1](https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-2-mk-1) (registry code 2808006) (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: 52 - Year built: 1948 - Airframe hours: 29987.1 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R-985-14B 450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 135 - Operator: Rust's Flying Service, Inc - Registered owner: Rust Air, Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 28, 2025, 52.5 hours before - Departed: LHD, Anchorage, AK - Destination: Tutka Bay, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: NONE - Equipment: Satellite tracking device, Handheld GPS, ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; private, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, multi-engine sea, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 4, 2025; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,700 total, 335 in this make and model, 2,400 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 200 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 100° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.72 inHg - Turbulence: Light - Observed at: PASX, 26 nm away - METAR: PASX 091556Z AUTO 10004KT 10SM OVC070 11/09 A2972 RMK AO2 SLP068 T01110094 TSNO ## 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 20250809010959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250809010959A), Aug 9, 2025: Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1, Kasilof, AK, Substantial damage. On 09 August 2025 at 08:00 LCL time, the accident aircraft departed lake hood seaplane base (lhd) on a part 135 commercial flight. The destination for the… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 23, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200744. 6.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 5.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19266537&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20N232KT_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, passenger (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19266547&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Passenger-Rel.pdf - Adsb flight track (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 341 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19272690&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=OpsVue%20data%20flight%20track-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 478 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19265491&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC25LA085%20pictures-Rel.pdf 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.