Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1 accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, May 28, 2024
On May 28, 2024, a 1958 Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1, registered N5343G, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Fairbanks, Alaska (Metro Field). It was a positioning 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper fuel management resulting in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2024
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska · Metro Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1, built 1958 · all BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1s on the register
- Registration
- N5343G · registry record · serial 862
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff while on a post-maintenance check flight, the airplane’s fuel pressure gauge began to fluctuate. Subsequently, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot performed a forced landing that resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and right elevator, which were both liberated from the airplane during impact. A post-accident inspection revealed that the pilot had selected a fuel tank containing an inadequate amount of fuel prior to takeoff. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
- Fuel starvation during emergency descent
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,100 hours in all; 11,970 in this make and model; 117 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 20,080 as pilot in command; 110 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 22, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,226.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 2024; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt And Whitney R985-14B (piston); 8,500 hours total
- Operator: Coyote Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: MTF Fairbanks AK
- Destination: MTF Fairbanks AK
- Runway 24, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.69 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from PAFA, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAFA 272353Z 30007KT 10SM BKN060 BKN080 18/04 A2969 RMK AO2 SLP060 T01780039 10183 20128 50000
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 28, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N5343G 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 ANC24LA037.