Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ruth Lake, Alaska
Sunday, September 11, 1988 16:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIR TAXI PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND HIS FLOAT-EQUIPPED AIRPLANE ON A REMOTE MOUNTAIN LAKE IN GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS. HE STATED THAT HE TOUCHED DOWN WITH A TAILWIND COMPONENT OF APPROXIMATELY 5 KNOTS, BUT THAT THE TAILWIND INCREASED RAPIDLY DURING A GUST, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO DECELERATE MUCH LESS QUICKLY THAN HE HAD ANTICIPATED. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE BEACH WITH ENOUGH FORWARD VELOCITY TO CAUSE IT TO NOSE OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/11/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone --
Event City RUTH LAKE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 997
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 11 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2222
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37005
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:07PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N67207
NTSB Number ANC88LA137
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-2
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-2
Aircraft Serial Number 305
Certified Max Gross Weight 5090
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 8
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 31 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 8237
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARTLEY INC/BRANCH RIVER AIR
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 545
Aircraft Owner City KING SALMON
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99613
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BRANCH RIVER AIR SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 545
Operator City KING SALMON
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99613
Operator Code EQWC
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AKN
Departure City KING SALMON
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --