Dehavilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A) accident near Skwentna, Alaska, December 17, 2012
On December 17, 2012 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Dehavilland DHC-2 MK. I(L20A), registered N121KT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Skwentna, Alaska. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control while landing in gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 17, 2012 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Skwentna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- N121KT · registry record · serial 1407
- 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 when he departed, about 50 minutes before the accident, the wind was “light out of the north, northwest." As he continued the flight, the wind became variable southwest to northeast. Once he reached his destination, an off-airport snow-covered site, landing the wheel/ski-equipped airplane required a correction for a right quartering headwind that was gusting 20 to 25 knots. During the approach, about 20 to 25 feet above the site, the wind shifted to a tailwind. The airplane landed hard in a three-point attitude. A postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed structural damage to the empennage. There were no reported preaccident malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 11, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,901 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2012
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rustair INC
The flight
- Departed from: Z41 Anchorage AK at 3:00 pm
- Destination: Skwentna AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point -2°F (-19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.40 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from PASW, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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 N121KT 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.