Cooper Landing, AK, USA
N203KL
DEHAVILLAND BEAVER DHC
The airline transport pilot was making an off-airport landing on a glacier with passengers under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. During the landing the left wing struck a tree, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
On September 28, 2008, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver airplane, N203KL, sustained substantial damage when it struck a tree during landing on Skilak glacier, about 24 miles southwest of Cooper Landing, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Alaska Air Taxi LLC, Anchorage, Alaska, as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand air taxi flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airline transport pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The airplane departed Anchorage about 1300. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on September 28, the pilot said the airplane's left wing struck a tree during the landing roll. According to the pilot, there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The airplane's left wing received substantial damage during the accident. The pilot did not submit an NTSB Pilot/Operator accident report as required under CFR Part 830.
The pilot's failure to maintain separation from a tree during the landing roll at an off-airport site.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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