De Havilland DHC-2T N535KT

Summary

On 13 July 2024 at about 01:00 local time, a De Havilland DHC-2T registered N535KT, operated by Rusts Flying Service, was involved in an accident near Petersville, Alaska, United States. 9 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

13 July 2024 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Petersville, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

62.7257, -150.7958

Aircraft

De Havilland DHC-2T

Registration

N535KT

Category

Airplane

Year built

1967

Engines

1

Operator

Rusts Flying Service

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Talkeetna → Talkeetna

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC24LA064

Nobody was injured.

An in-flight loss of thrust due to an uncommanded feathering of the propeller for reasons that could not be determined.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting an air tour flight when the airplane’s propeller rpm decreased and the propeller subsequently stopped producing noticeable thrust. The pilot cycled the propeller but the propeller rpm continued to decrease.. The pilot performed a forced landing, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot reported no mechanical issues with the airplane other than the loss of propeller pitch control and subsequent loss of thrust. Postaccident examination and testing of the propeller and overspeed governors revealed that they performed within their respective manufacturer’s specifications, and no abnormalities were observed that would have prevented normal operation. The engine was completely disassembled and all damage noted was consistent with impact. The cause of the propeller rpm becoming uncontrollable could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.