On June 13, 2002, a DE Havilland DHC-2 (registration N62197) operated by Doug Geeting Avaition was involved in an aviation accident near Talkeetna, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's selection of an unsuitable taxi area, which resulted in substantial damage to the left elevator when the tailwheel encountered a hole. A factor associated with the accident was rough/uneven terrain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A commercial pilot reported that during taxi on a glacier after an uneventful landing, the tailwheel entered a snow hole, causing the left elevator horn to dig in and sustain substantial damage.
Sequence of Events
The pilot, a certificated commercial pilot, completed an uneventful landing on a glacier. After landing, he decided to reposition the airplane to a location better suited for unloading passengers. During the taxi maneuver, the airplane moved uphill across the glacier, which had a surface of hard-packed snow. While taxiing, the tailwheel entered a hole in the snow, causing the left elevator horn to dig into the surface. This resulted in substantial damage to the left elevator.
Damage Assessment
The left elevator sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
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