No fatalities

7 Oct 2019: De Havilland BEAVER DHC 2 No Series — Andrew Airways Inc — Kodiak, AK

Kodiak, AK, United States

On 7 Oct 2019, a De Havilland BEAVER DHC 2 No Series operated by Andrew Airways Inc was involved in an aviation accident near Kodiak, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain lateral control while landing on glassy water, which resulted in the left float touching the water, a loss of yaw control, and impact with a riverbank. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A floatplane pilot reported that during a landing on a glassy river, the left float contacted the water, causing the aircraft to yaw left, exit the river, and slide onto tundra, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing lift strut.

Accident Overview

A float-equipped airplane experienced a landing mishap on a river with glassy water conditions. According to the pilot, as he was rolling the wings level during the landing approach, he felt the left float make contact with the water surface. This contact caused the aircraft to yaw abruptly to the left. The airplane subsequently departed the river, ascended the river bank, and slid across the tundra before coming to a stop.

Aircraft Damage

The accident resulted in substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. No other damage details were provided.

Pilot Report

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The aircraft was equipped with floats and was configured for landing on a water surface at the time of the occurrence.

Investigation Notes

No other factors, such as environmental conditions or pilot experience, were specified in the report. The accident occurred during a landing maneuver on a river characterized by glassy water, which can present visual challenges for depth perception and altitude judgment. However, the source did not attribute the event to any specific cause beyond the sequence described.

Contributing factors

Lateral/bank control — Not attained/maintainedPilotEffect on personnelEffect on operationYaw control — Not attained/maintained