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Atlas / NTSB / GAA20CA007

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event GAA20CA007

2019-10-07 Kodiak, Alaska, United States None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N1544

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

DEHAVILLAND BEAVER DHC-2

Year of manufacture

1958 · 61 years old at event

Engine

P&W R-985 SERIES (450 hp)

Seats / Engines

8 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

20111005

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A0DBEF

Registrant of record

ANDREW AIRWAYS INC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain lateral control while landing on glassy water, which resulted in the left float touching the water, a loss of yaw control, and impact with a riverbank.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, during a landing on a glassy river, as he was rolling the wings level, he felt the left float touch the water. The airplane yawed to the left, went up the river bank, and slid on the tundra. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, during landing on a glassy river and as he was rolling the wings level, he felt the left float touch the water. The airplane yawed left, went up a riverbank, and slid on the tundra. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing lift strut. 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).

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Lateral/bank control-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface-Glassy surface-Effect on personnel - C
  • C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-(general)-Effect on operation - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Yaw control-Not attained/maintained - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2019_GAA20CA007.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.