Dehavilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A) accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, May 22, 2012
On May 22, 2012 at about 10:12 pm local time, a Dehavilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A), registered N323KT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Talkeetna, Alaska (Talkeetna airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot inadvertently landed with the parking brake set.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2012 · about 10:12 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · Talkeetna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A) · all DHC-2 MK. I(L20A)s on the register
- Registration
- N323KT · no longer on the register · serial 1022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed at a base camp on a glacier. To prevent the airplane from sliding, he raised the wheel skis and set the parking brake. Upon departure, he lowered the skis but forgot to release the parking brake. Upon touchdown on a hard surfaced runway, the airplane came to an abrupt stop and nosed down, then settled back on the tailwheel. The horizontal stabilizer sustained substantial damage. The pilot indicated there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. He said the accident could have been prevented if he had ensured that the parking brake was not set on the glacier, which would have prevented an abrupt stop when he later landed on wheels.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Unintentional use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,631 hours in all; 944 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 6,591 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 10, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,824 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 4, 2012; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,370 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rust Properties LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Kahiltnaglacier AK at 3:48 pm
- Destination: PATK Talkeetna AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.54 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PATK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 N323KT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.