Dehavilland DHC-3 accident near Talkeetna, Alaska, July 28, 2022
On July 28, 2022 at about 9:15 pm local time, a 1955 Dehavilland DHC-3, registered N320KT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Talkeetna, Alaska (Talkeetna airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2022 · about 9:15 pm local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · Talkeetna · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland DHC-3, built 1955 · all DHC-3s on the register
- Registration
- N320KT · registry record · serial 73
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tail wheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll with a crosswind, the airplane began to swerve right as the tail wheel touched the ground. The airplane then veered off the right side of the runway and collided with a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage just above the right main gear attachment. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,432 hours in all; 161 in this make and model; 193 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 3,254 as pilot in command; 478 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 19, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27,466 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 8,367 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34 (turboprop); 3,510 hours total
- Operator: Rust'S Flying Service, INC
The flight
- Departed from: ATK Talkeetna AK at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 2995.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from PATK
Weather report (METAR): PATK 282053Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 21/03 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP172 T02060028 56010
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Accident Airplane / Right main landing gear and fuselage (Photo
Accident Airplane / Right main landing gear strut (Photo
Accident Airplane / Close-up view / Right main strut and fuselage (PhotoThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 28, 2022. 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 | Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N320KT on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Dehavilland DHC-3 67 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Dehavilland 861 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34 42 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Talkeetna Airport · nearest airport
- Atqasuk Edward Burnell SR Memorial · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,932 since 1982 · 825 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,142 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN22LA372.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.