# NTSB SEA96LA054: de Havilland DHC-2, N690, Ashland, OR, February 10, 1996

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: February 10, 1996, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place: Ashland, OR
- Coordinates: 42.389202, -122.929557 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3892&lon=-122.9296&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 28, 1997
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 42332
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA96LA054
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42332/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA96LA054

## Probable cause

the dual student's improper touchdown, and the instructor's delayed remedial action.  The crosswind was a related factor.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor)
  - touchdown - improper, dual student (cause)
  - remedial action - delayed, pilot in command(cfi) (cause)

## Analysis

While making a water landing in a ten knot 90 degree crosswind, the dual student allowed the aircraft to touch down in about a ten degree crab, and the aircraft bounced hard from right to left. The flight instructor (CFI) took remedial action, but was unable to keep the aircraft from bouncing hard enough to cause damage to the horizontal stabilizer.

## Factual narrative

On February 10, 1996, approximately 1330 Pacific standard time (PST), a DeHavilland DHC-2 floatplane, N690, impacted the water during an attempted landing on Immigrant Lake near Ashland, Oregon. The certified flight instructor and his private pilot rated student were not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The instructional flight, which was using Immigrant Lake as a training site, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation.

According to an FAA inspector who talked to the Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) after the accident, the student was trying to land in a 10 knot 90 degree crosswind when he touched down hard in about a 10 degree crab.  As the aircraft bounced hard from right to left, the CFI applied full up elevator and reduced the power to idle. After discussing the errors the student had made during the flare and touchdown, the CFI decided he would demonstrate the next landing. After takeoff, he noticed that the elevator was vibrating and also noticed damage to the horizontal stabilizer. At that point the CFI elected to fly directly to Medford, Oregon, where he made a successful precautionary landing.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N690](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N690), registered now, S/N 282, built 1952 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: de Havilland DHC-2
- Registry model: [Dehavilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A)](https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-2-mk-i-l20a) (registry code 2808002) (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: 1096
- Airframe hours: 5582
- Engines: P&W R-985-AN14B 450 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Registered owner: Fallert, Larry W.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, October 6, 1995, 48 hours before
- Departed: BOK, BROOKINGS, OR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 10,492 total, 118 in this make and model, 10,460 as pilot in command, 93 in the last 90 days, 48 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 0° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 55 °F

## 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 19960210002519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960210002519A), Feb 10, 1996: Dhav DHC2MK1, Ashland, OR, Substantial damage. Landed in crosswind. Impacted hard in crab angle. CFI took over. After takeoff noted damaged tail. Returned base.

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.