De Havilland DHC-2 N5146G

Summary

On 23 July 2006 at about 20:15 local time, a De Havilland DHC-2 registered N5146G was involved in an accident near Big Lake, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 July 2006 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Big Lake, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.4625, -149.9339

Aircraft

De Havilland DHC-2

Registration

N5146G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC06LA095

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while step taxiing a float-equipped airplane, which resulted in a collision with an embankment. A factor contributing to the accident was an unfavorable wind.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The first pilot was conducting a local area Title 14 CFR Part 91 proficiency/instructional flight in a float-equipped airplane with the second pilot. Both pilots were certificated flight instructors. After landing at a lake, the second pilot practiced making step turns. The first pilot, seated in the right seat, then took the flight controls to demonstrate continuous water taxiing/turning while on-step. He said he taxied around the perimeter of the lake and began a right turn, still on-step, but the airplane did not respond. Application of right rudder did not prevent the airplane from colliding with the lake shore and trees. The airplane received damage to the left wing and fuselage. The first pilot indicated that the wind was about 6 knots from the north-northeast, but he thought the airplane encountered a wind shear at the narrowest portion of the lake where the accident occurred.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.