Dehavilland-Kenmore DHC-2 accident near Juneau, Alaska, June 28, 2024
On June 28, 2024 at about 11:25 pm local time, a 1959 Dehavilland-Kenmore DHC-2, registered N590DB, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Juneau, Alaska (Juneau Intl airport). It was a business 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power during initial climb due to a cracked cylinder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2024 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Juneau, Alaska · Juneau Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland-Kenmore DHC-2, built 1959 · all DHC-2s on the register
- Registration
- N590DB · registry record · serial 1412
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported after a normal takeoff in a float-equipped airplane, about treetop height, there was a loud bang and pulsing sensation, and the engine lost partial power. Unable to maintain altitude and return to the airport, the pilot performed a forced landing to the mud flats. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the elevator and horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident examination revealed the No. 9 cylinder was cracked. The last maintenance performed was about 90 hours before the accident, there were no anomalies noted at that time.
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 engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 3,980 as pilot in command; 1,790 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 17, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,594.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 15, 2024; 89.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,370 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R985-AN-14B (piston); 25,722 hours total
- Operator: Lone Eagle Resorts, Inc.
The flight
- Destination: Angoon AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08W/, 4,800 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from AJN, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAJN 282253Z 23010KT 10SM FEW060 SCT130 SCT240 23/12 A2989 RMK AO2 SLP122 T02330117
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 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 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | 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.
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 ANC24LA057.