Amateur-built DHC-2 accident near Willow, Alaska, July 18, 2001
On July 18, 2001 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-2, registered N9262Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Willow, Alaska. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during cruise due to the separation of an engine cylinder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2001 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Willow, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-2
- Registration
- N9262Z · no longer on the register · serial 1266
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated airline transport pilot, with two passengers aboard, was conducting an aerial timber survey. While in cruise flight about 1,000 feet above the ground, the engine began to backfire, run rough, and lose power. The engine then quit, and the pilot selected a gravel bar along a glacial fed river as an emergency landing area. During the emergency approach to landing, the airplane landed short of the intended landing site, touched down in about 3 feet of water, and nosed over. After recovery, an FAA airworthiness inspector examined the airplane. The inspector reported that the number seven cylinder was cracked, the number nine cylinder had no compression, and that about one cup of clear water was found within the carburetor float bowl. The inspector said that he was unable to determine if the cylinder damage, or the presence of water in the carburetor was a result of impact damage with the river water. When the engine was disassembled the number nine cylinder head was found separated from the cylinder barrel.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 16,000 as pilot in command; 2,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 26, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,549.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 2, 2001; 12.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985-14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: State Of Alaska Dept. Of Natural Resources
The flight
- Departed from: Z41 Lake Hood Strip AK at 3:30 pm
- Destination: Z41 Lake Hood Strip AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.