De Havilland DHC-2 accident near Elfin Cove, AK
On July 19, 1996, a De Havilland DHC-2 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Elfin Cove, AK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 19, 1996
- Place
- Elfin Cove, AK
- Aircraft
- De Havilland DHC-2 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 58.160°N, 135.740°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X06131
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 19, 1996, about 1530 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped deHavilland DHC-2 airplane, N54LA, operated by Lynden Air Cargo, doing business as Loken Aviation, was destroyed by impact and postcrash fire when it collided with steep terrain near Elfin Cove, Alaska. Variable weather conditions, from visual meteorological to instrument meteorological, were reported in the general vicinity of the accident site. The solo airline transport certificated pilot sustained fatal injuries. The 14 CFR Part 135 on-demand air taxi cargo flight last departed Hoonah, Alaska, approximately 15 minutes prior to the accident, en route to Elfin Cove. The proposed route of flight was from Juneau, to Hoonah, to Elfin Cove, to Pelican, and return to Juneau. All of the preceding locations are in southeast Alaska. The flight departed Juneau at 1436, arrived Hoonah at 1455, off loaded and loaded additional cargo for the flights to Elfin Cove and Pelican, and departed Hoonah about 1515. Company officials expected that the pilot would fly to Elfin Cove via the Tenakee Inlet and Trail River drainage. This route of flight would begin and end at sea level, proceed principally in a northwest direction, and require a minimum obstruction clearance altitude of approximately 500 feet msl. The flight path is generally surrounded by heavily forested, steeply rising terrain (see attached charts). The wreckage was located by the U.S. Coast Guard on a mountainside at the 1,250 level on July 21 about 1040, after a search by Civil Air Patrol and U.S. Coast Guard aircraft. The accident site was
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to continue VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain adequate clearance from rising terrain. Factors associated with the accident were the rising terrain and clouds.
More accidents in AK
- Beech 1900C, Nov 23, 1987
- Textron Aviation Inc 208B, Feb 6, 2025
- Dehavilland DHC-3, Jul 7, 2013
- Cessna 208, Oct 10, 2001
- Dehavilland DHC-3, Jun 25, 2015
Browse: Alaska · De Havilland aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
