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Atlas / NTSB / ANC24LA054

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event ANC24LA054

2024-06-20 Aleknagik, Alaska, United States None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N55WE

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

DEHAVILLAND BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1

Year of manufacture

1952 · 72 years old at event

Engine

P&W R-985 SERIES (450 hp)

Seats / Engines

8 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19890505

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A6FF0B

Registrant of record

D & B AIRCRAFT LEASING LLC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain pitch control of the airplane during initial climb.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff in a float-equipped airplane, he heard rustling noises coming from the aft cargo section of the airplane. The pilot glanced behind him to identify the source of the noises and, as he looked forward again, the airplane impacted the water resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

  • Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot
  • Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Pitch control-Not attained/maintained

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2024_ANC24LA054.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.