Tailwheel Failure Damages Turbine Otter on Alaska Glacier Takeoff

Tailwheel Failure Causes Substantial Damage to Turbine Otter on Alaska Glacier

A de Havilland DHC-3T Vazar Turbine Otter (registration N424KT) sustained substantial damage after its tailwheel failed during takeoff from Ruth Glacier near Trapper Creek, Alaska, on July 2, 2026. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured, according to the Aviation Safety Network (ASN).

The aircraft was operated by Rustair on behalf of K2 Aviation, a Talkeetna-based flightseeing operator serving Denali National Park. ADS-B data indicate the aircraft had been conducting multiple flights between Talkeetna Airport (PATK) and glacier areas south of Denali on the day of the incident.

The ASN classified the event under the ICAO occurrence category Abnormal Runway Contact (ARC), noting the tailwheel failure occurred on takeoff from the remote glacier strip. No fatalities or injuries were reported.

Aircraft and Operations

The DHC-3T Vazar Turbine Otter is a turbine-engine conversion of the classic de Havilland DHC-3 Otter, widely used for backcountry and glacier operations across Alaska. The type is well-suited to short, unimproved strips and glacier surfaces, and is a mainstay of flightseeing and remote transport in the region.

The National Transportation Safety Board has not yet released a formal report on the incident. Given the absence of injuries and the mechanical nature of the failure, the event is expected to be documented as a non-injury accident.

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Source: Aviation Safety Network — ASN Wikibase #573531