Amateur-built DHC-2 accident near King Salmon, Alaska, July 5, 1991
On July 5, 1991 at about 3:30 am local time, a amateur-built DHC-2, registered N5538G, was substantially damaged in an accident near King Salmon, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FORCED LANDING ON THE ROUGH TERRAIN AND THE ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE COLLECTOR INTERMEDIATE BEARINGS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1991 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- King Salmon, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-2
- Registration
- N5538G · no longer on the register · serial 1295
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND SMOKING, THEN LOST POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON THE TUNDRA. DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE 3 COLLECTOR INTERMEDIATE SEARINGS AND FAILED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,900 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 2,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,655 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1991; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,090 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Igiugig AK at 10:00 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.