De Havilland DHC-2 MK 1 N232KT

Summary

On 9 August 2025 at about 17:00 local time, a De Havilland DHC-2 MK 1 registered N232KT, operated by Rust's Flying Service, Inc, was involved in an accident near Soldotna, Alaska, United States. 5 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

9 August 2025 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Soldotna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

60.1740, -150.4019

Aircraft

De Havilland DHC-2 MK 1

Registration

N232KT

Category

Airplane

Year built

1948

Engines

1

Operator

Rust's Flying Service, Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Tutka Bay

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC25LA085

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from rising terrain while maneuvering at low altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.