Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1 accident near Soldotna, Alaska, August 9, 2025
On August 9, 2025 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1948 Dehavilland DHC-2 MK 1, registered N232KT, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Soldotna, Alaska. It was a business flight 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from rising terrain while maneuvering at low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2025 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Soldotna, Alaska · 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 1, built 1948 · all DHC-2 MK 1s on the register
- Registration
- N232KT · registry record · serial 52
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While en route to a remote fishing lodge in a float-equipped airplane, one of the passengers reported that the pilot saw a pack of wolves chasing a herd of caribou. The passenger said that the pilot then reduced the airspeed and entered a right-hand, descending orbit to allow all the passengers to see the animals below. The pilot reported that, during a right-hand turn, the airspeed was indicating about 75 knots and the airplane’s altitude was about 500 ft above ground level (agl), when the airplane encountered a downdraft and it began to descend. He added engine power and attempted to climb, but he realized he was not going to be able to clear the rising terrain ahead and performed a forced landing to an area of rock and tundra-covered terrain. During the forced landing, the airplane’s float struts and spreaderbars collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage. A review of archived Federal Aviation Administration Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the airplane entered the orbits at 300 feet agl and the groundspeed was about 80 knots. As the airplane exited the multiple orbits, it was about 97 feet agl, while traveling at 58 knots groundspeed. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 335 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 200 in the last 30 days; 2,400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 4, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 29,987.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 28, 2025; 52.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,600 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985-14B (piston); 99,018 hours total
- Operator: Rust'S Flying Service, Inc
The flight
- Departed from: LHD Anchorage AK at 4:00 pm
- Destination: Tutka Bay AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 am from PASX, 26 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PASX 091556Z AUTO 10004KT 10SM OVC070 11/09 A2972 RMK AO2 SLP068 T01110094 TSNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ANC25LA085.