Dehavilland DHC-2 accident near Kodiak, Alaska, November 29, 2003
On November 29, 2003 at about 1:35 pm local time, a Dehavilland DHC-2, registered N13VF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kodiak, Alaska. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions, and his failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance, which resulted in a collision with terrain during the final landing approach. A factor contributing to the accident was the presence of a downdraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 2003 · about 1:35 pm local time
- Place
- Kodiak, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland DHC-2 · all DHC-2s on the register
- Registration
- N13VF · registry record · serial 1613
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an on-demand air taxi flight, the airline transport certificated pilot was preparing to land an amphibious float-equipped airplane near a cabin that was located on the shore of a coastal bay. A 10 to 15 knot wind was blowing from the bay toward the land, and the pilot decided to approach over land. As the airplane descended over a small creek bed, adjacent to a hill, the airplane encountered a downdraft, and descended rapidly. The left wing collided with alder trees which spun the airplane 180 degrees. The right wing and float assembly were torn off the airplane. The closest official weather observation station, located 30 miles away, was reporting calm wind.
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, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,103 hours in all; 3,100 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 5,800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 28, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,953 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 31, 2003; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985AN-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PADQ Kodiak AK at 1:15 pm
- Destination: Viekoda Bay AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 am from PADQ, 30 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC04LA010.