De Havilland DHC 2 N121AK
20 September 2018 · Igiugig, Alaska, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 20 September 2018 at about 23:30 local time, a De Havilland DHC 2 registered N121AK was involved in an accident near Igiugig, Alaska, United States. 7 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Igiugig, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 59.3250, -155.9008
- Aircraft
- De Havilland DHC 2
- Registration
- N121AK
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1951
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Business
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Igiugig → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- GAA18CA565
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
Probable cause
The pilot’s selection of an empty fuel tank for takeoff, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, during the initial climb after a water takeoff, about 200 ft, he turned right, and the engine lost power. He immediately switched fuel tanks and attempted to restart the engine to no avail. The airplane descended and struck trees, and the right wing impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector that, during the initial climb and after the engine lost power, he noticed that the center tank, which was selected for takeoff, was empty. He added that passengers stated that the engine did regain power after switching tanks, but the airplane had already struck trees. The pilot reported as a recommendation to more closely follow checklists.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other De Havilland DHC-2 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Sep 2018 | De Havilland DHC 2 MK. I(L20A) | Kukaklek Lake, Alaska, United States | T-Corp | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Jul 2018 | De Havilland DHC-2 | Willow, Alaska, United States | Alaska Skyways, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 5 Aug 2018 | De Havilland DHC-2 | Talkeetna, Alaska, United States | K2 Aviation | Fatal | 5 |
| 23 Jun 2018 | De Havilland DHC-2 | Dillingham, Alaska, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 May 2019 | De Havilland DHC-2 | Ketchikan, Alaska, United States | Mountain Air Service LLC | Fatal | 6 |
| 20 May 2019 | De Havilland DHC 2 | Metlakatla, Alaska, United States | Venture Travel, LLC | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Aug 2018 | Cessna A185F | Kaktovik, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 May 2018 | Cessna 180 | Kake, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jul 2018 | Piper PA18S | Palmer, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Aug 2018 | Piper PA18 | McGrath, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jul 2018 | Curtiss-Wright C46 | Manley Hot Springs, Alaska, United States | Everts Air Fuel Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 2018 | Beechcraft 1900 | Gambell, Alaska, United States | Hageland Aviation | No injuries | - |