Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, June 27, 2011
On June 27, 2011, a Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1, registered N561TA, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff 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 unsuitable terrain for takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 2011
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1 · all DHC-2 MK 1s on the register
- Registration
- N561TA · registry record · serial 581
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while departing from a snow-covered glacier, in a tailwheel and wheel penetration ski-equipped airplane, the main and tail skis struck a bump just as the airplane became airborne. A postflight inspection revealed substantial damage to the tailwheel bulkhead and fuselage. The pilot indicated 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
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,400 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 104 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 3,300 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,734 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 29, 2011; 43 hours since
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney 985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Talkeetna Air Taxi INC
The flight
- Departed from: Talkeetna AK at 6:35 pm
- Destination: PATK Talkeetna AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.53 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N561TA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ANC11CA057.