Dehavilland DHC-2 accident near Wasilla, Alaska, June 13, 2004
On June 13, 2004 at about 2:30 am local time, a Dehavilland DHC-2, registered N105RL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wasilla, Alaska (Gattis Strip airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll, which resulted in a collision with a log. Factors contributing to the accident were a tailwind, a lack of brake pedals at the second pilot station, and the second pilot's lack of a tailwheel endorsement.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2004 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Wasilla, Alaska · Gattis Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland DHC-2 · all DHC-2s on the register
- Registration
- N105RL · registry record · serial 720
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The second pilot, who was seated in the right seat, was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on runway 04 at a private airport. Runway 04 is 1,200 feet long, and has an asphalt surface. The second pilot indicated that runway 04 sloped uphill, and he was landing with a slight tailwind. He said that the right pilot position did not have any brake pedals, and that he did not have a tailwheel endorsement. He relied on the first pilot, seated in the left seat, to apply the brakes after touchdown. The second pilot said that during the landing roll, as the first pilot applied the brakes, the airplane veered sharply to the right and departed the runway. The right main landing gear wheel struck a log, the right wing contacted several small trees, and the airplane momentarily nosed down. The airplane received structural damage at the right main landing gear attach point, damage to the propeller, the aft fuselage adjacent to the tailwheel attach point, and the left main landing gear strut. The closest official weather observation station, located 3 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, was reporting, in part: Wind, 240 degrees (true) at 7 knots.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 17,000 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 8, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 478 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 448 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 12, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,864 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 14, 2003; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,090 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R985-AN-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAOR Northway AK at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 16AK Wasilla AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 04, 1,200 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.64 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from PAWS, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.