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msn 306
DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300
13804
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msn 306

CC-138 Series-300

13804

• Registration • Activity and details of Owner/Operator and other historical information

13804 de Havilland Canada Inc., Downsview, ON. Rolled out 27-Jul-1971. First flight 27-Jul-1971.

13804 Taken on strength with Canadian Armed Forces, 01-Sep-1971.

Delivered to No. 424 (T&R) Squadron, CFB Trenton, ON., 02-Sep-1971. 440 Squadron, Edmonton, AB., 02-Oct-1975. With No. 440 Squadron at CFB Yellowknife, NT., in April 1994.

13804 Royal Canadian Air Force . 440 Squadron at Yellowknife, NT.

Current

RCAF accident report : Project number: CC138804-D-Cat.

While conducting austere airfield training, during the takeoff from the tundra near Horn Lake, southwest of Inuvik, NT., the Twin Otter aircraft’s nose landing gear collapsed.  There were no injuries among the four crew and two passengers.

After arriving at the austere landing site, the crew evaluated it for suitability of use.  Following several recconnaisance passes and a cautious light weight-on-wheels drag manoeuvre, the crew determined the terrain to be rough but suitable and so they conducted a full stop landing.  An inspection of the landing area then indicated that the surface was covered with water-saturated tundra hummocks between which the wheels had sunk into.  Tundra hummocks are small mounds of soil and vegetation related to the permafrost.

During the takeoff attempt, the aircraft stuck fast even with the application of full power.  The crew then shut the aircraft down, dug out the hummocks in front of each wheel and inserted plywood ramps to facilitate rolling the aircraft over their tops.  Although this proved to be effective, during the takeoff roll just as the aircraft was approaching flying speed the nose wheel sunk into soft ground, shearing the nose landing gear strut above the wheel yoke.  The nose then dropped to the ground and the aircraft skidded forward, sustaining serious damage, as the crew aborted the takeoff.

Although following procedure, the crew was unable to detect the presence of the saturated hummocks prior to landing.  The investigation’s recommendations, therefore, focussed on improving the evaluation criteria during the arial reconnaissance and drag manoeuvre.

13804 for the Canadian Armed Forces at Downsview - CYZD, Ontario.
Photo: Sheldon D. Benner © 28 July 1971 - Michael J. Ody Collection
13804 on display at CFB Trenton - CYTR, Armed Forces Day.
Photo: Sheldon D. Benner © 10 June 1972 - Michael J. Ody Collection
13804 at Downsview - CYZD, Ontario.
Photo: Unknown photographer © July 1973 - John Mounce Collection - Aird Archives
13804 on tundra tires.
Photo: R. Moneta © October 1973 - Michael J. Ody Collection
13804 at Downsview - CYZD, Ontario.
Photo: Fred Guthrie © 03 September 1976 - Rainer Haufschild Collection - Aird Archives
13804 in newer yellow SAR scheme.
Photo: Unknown photographer © May 1978 - Michael J. Ody Collection
13804 with sister ship.
Photo: Unknown photographer © June 1986 - Michael J. Ody Collection
13804 at Yellowknife - CYZF.
Photo: Dirk Septer © 25 June 2007
13804 at accident scene.
Photo: RCAF © 23 August 2012