Amateur-built DHC-2 accident near Alagnak River, Alaska, August 31, 1990
On August 31, 1990 at about 11:45 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-2, registered N24BR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alagnak River, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, HIS SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, AND HIS DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 1990 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Alagnak River, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-2
- Registration
- N24BR · registry record · serial 644
- 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
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF RUN ON THE RIVER, HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE THEN STRUCK THE RIVER BANK.
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
- 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: 2,850 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 340 in the last 90 days; 150 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command; 425 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,795 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 8, 1990; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,090 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hartley, INC
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 N24BR 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 ANC90LA162.