Amateur-built DHC-2-MK3 accident near Near Nuiqsut, Alaska, January 15, 1982
On January 15, 1982 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-2-MK3, registered N1459T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Nuiqsut, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 1982 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Near Nuiqsut, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-2-MK3
- Registration
- N1459T · no longer on the register · serial 1665TB37
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
EARLIER IN THE DAY, THE PILOT RECEIVED INFORMATION ABOUT THE LANDING AREA. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE LANDING AREA WOULD BE CLEARED OR PREPARED AND BE DEFINED BY FLARE POTS. HE BELIEVED HE WOULD BE LANDING ON A FROZEN RIVER. DURING ARRIVAL AFTER DARK, HE FLEW OVERHEAD TO LOOK AT THE LANDING AREA. FROM THE AIR, THE PILOT PERCEIVED THAT THE LANDING AREA WAS ADEQUATE AND HAD BEEN PREPARED BY GROUND PERSONNEL. ON SHORT FINAL, HE SAW A BERM ACROSS THE APPROACH END WHICH TENDED TO CONFIRM THAT THE STRIP HAD BEEN LEVELED OR PREPARED. THE PLANE WAS LANDED ON SKIS WITH THE WHEELS RETRACTED. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT SELECTED REVERSE THRUST TO SLOW THE PLANE. WHILE SLOWING THROUGH ABOUT 30 KNOTS. THE PLANE HIT A THREE FOOT FROZEN SNOWBANK AND WAS DAMAGED. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST LANDING AT THIS LOCATION. THE LANDING AREA WAS UNIMPROVED. ROLLING, SNOW COVERED TUNDRA WITH TEN INCH SNOWDRIFTS.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,974 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 293 in the last 90 days; 81 in the last 30 days; 5,815 as pilot in command; 650 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,772 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,370 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sea Airmotive, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: UMT Umiat AK at 4:10 pm
- Destination: (Remote Field) AK
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
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.