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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2022 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Talkeetna, Alaska · Talkeetna · 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 |
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 | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 CEN22LA372.