Civil Air Patrol

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

The certificated flight instructor was familiarizing the second pilot with ski operations in a ski-equipped airplane during an instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that he took the flight controls from the second pilot to demonstrate a touch-and-go landing on a frozen, snow-covered lake. After landing to the east, the instructor said that he kept the tail of the airplane up and the airspeed just below flying speed in order to make ski tracks on the lake to check the snow conditions. About midway along the lake the instructor added full engine power and the airplane became airborne but failed to climb sufficiently to avoid colliding with an area of rising, tree-covered terrain at the departure end of the lake. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. Postaccident examination revealed no preaccident mechanical anomalies. The instructor noted that after the accident he noticed occasional strong gusts of wind from the west.

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

Few minutes after takeoff from Palmer, the pilot elected to gain height when the single engine airplane struck a mountain ridge and crashed. A passenger was killed while both other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver

En route, weather conditions deteriorated and while cruising in rain falls, the pilot lost his sens of orientation when the single engine airplane struck the slope of a mountain located near Pile Bay. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and both occupants were killed. The wreckage was found a day later.