Dehavilland DHC-2 N490K accident near King Salmon, Alaska

Probable cause

The pilot's selection of an unsuitable takeoff area, and his decision to takeoff with a tailwind.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he was departing to the east with a 5 knot tailwind, in a float-equipped airplane, on a Title 14, CFR Part 91 other work use flight. He said that the purpose of the flight was to demobilize a remote fishing lodge at the end of the season. The pilot reported that during the takeoff run he realized that the airplane would not become airborne before reaching the departure end of the lake, and he closed the engine throttle in an attempt to abort the takeoff. The airplane’s floats struck the shoreline, and the airplane came to rest on the shore, about 75 yards from the lake, sustaining substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane, and in his written report to the NTSB, he attributed the accident to “pilot error.”

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC10CA001 for the full record.