Amateur-built DHC-3 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, April 28, 2008
On April 28, 2008 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-3, registered N565TA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Talkeetna, Alaska. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing site, which resulted in an overload failure of the tail ski assembly during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2008 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-3
- Registration
- N565TA · registry record · serial 47
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot related that he was transporting mountain climbers to a remote mountain glacier, and was landing the wheel-ski-equipped airplane in deep snow. During the landing roll, he said he felt a slight bump, and stopped the airplane. Inspection disclosed that the tail ski had become buried in deep snow during a turn, breaking the tail ski attachment bracket, which resulted in the ski puncturing the lower fuselage and damaging a structural bulkhead. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Wheel/ski/float › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,700 hours in all; 565 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Talkeetna Air Taxi INC
The flight
- Departed from: TKA Talkeetna AK
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.