De Havilland DHC-3 Otter crash, Jul 7, 2013 (10 killed)
De Havilland DHC-3 Otter accident on July 7, 2013 near Soldotna, Alaska, United States with 10 fatalities. Cause: The operator's failure to determine...
- Date: July 7, 2013
- Aircraft: De Havilland DHC-3 Otter
- Location: Soldotna, Alaska, United States
- Fatalities: 10
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: The operator's failure to determine actual cargo weight, which led to takeoff beyond the aft center of gravity and weight limits and an aerodynamic stall. The FAA's failure to require weight and balance documentation for single-engine Part 135 flights was a contributing factor.
The Otter took off from Soldotna carrying nine passengers and a cargo load that was about 2.4 times the weight on the manifest. The flaps were set to full-down, contrary to the flight manual. The aircraft pitched up, stalled shortly after takeoff and crashed with a post-crash fire that destroyed most of the cabin. All ten people on board, the pilot and nine passengers, were killed.