500

N17597 operating with SEA at Ketchikan, Alaska.

Photo: Unknown photographer © 21 June 1982 - Ruben Husberg Collection - Aird Archives

VP-FAE moored at Fox Bay, Falkland Islands.

Photo: Unknown photographer © Date unknown - Internet image - Aird Archives

VP-FAE coasting in.

Photo: Unknown photographer © Date unknown - Carlos Fortner Collection - Aird Archives

VP-FAE on the FIGAS slipway.

Photo: G. Cheek © c.1966 - Air-Britain Historians - Aird Archives

Your ride ?

Photo:Unknown photographer © c.1966 - Aird Archives

VP-FAE typical landing scene.

Photo: Unknown photographer © Date unknown - Carlos Fortner Collection - Aird Archives

(VP-FAE) on day of test flight.

Photo: Captain Freddy White © 29 August 1953 - Ian White Collection - see notes * - Aird Archives

Photo: Dick Mason © August 1953 - Carlos Fortner Collection - Aird Archives

(VP-FAE) doing engine run after assembly, on the FIGAS slipway.

Photo: Captain Freddy White © 29 August 1953 - Ian White Collection - Aird Archives

DHC crate being loaded on board RMS Fitzroy at Montevideo.

Photo: Captain Freddy White © June 1953 - Ian White Collection - Aird Archives

(VP-FAE) at Downsview prior to crating and shipping.

Photo: DHC © May 1953 - Aird Archives

500

VP-FAF (Painted as VP-FAE)

N17597

Note: Out of paint shop circa 01-May-1953 with a blue and silver colour scheme.

• VP-FAF Falklands Islands Government Air Services, Port Stanley Falkland Islands. Delivered 01-Jun-1953. Regd 20-Aug-1953. Last flight 06-Jun-1967. Canx 07-Dec-1967.

Note: Initially painted in error as VP-FAE. See notes below.

• N17597 Leo J. Dorney, Mexico City, Mexico. Regd 07-Dec-1967. Canx 15-Mar-1968.

• N17597 Detail unknown. Accident report below does not show operator details.

Accident: Near Ketchikan, AK, 30-Nov-1968. Uncontrolled collision with ground in adverse weather conditions. Mountain pass blocked by weather and pilot entered snow cloud during turnaround. Aircraft substantially damaged. Pilot uninjured. ANC69D0089

• N17597 Paul H. Breed. Regd 1969.

• N17597 Simpson Air Service Inc., Ketchikan, AK. Regd Apr-1969 & May-1971.

• N17597 Kenmore Air Harbor Inc., Kenmore, WA. Regd Aug-1971.

• N17597 South East Alaska Airlines, Ketchikan, AK. Regd Jul-1979.

• N17597 Temsco Helicopters Ketchikan, AK., t/a Temsco Airlines Inc. Regd 15-Mar-1988. Canx 11-Dec-1989.

Accident: Metlakatla, AK. 07-Dec-1987. Aircraft stalled on landing in gusty wind. The aircraft struck the water hard, breaking off the floats and sank. SEA88LA029.

Location: METLAKATLA, AK Accident Number: SEA88LA029 Date & Time: 12/07/1987, 1310 AST Registration: N17597 Aircraft: de Havilland DHC-2 MK1 Injuries: 1 Minor, 3 None Flight Conducted Under: Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter - Scheduled
Analysis ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED HIGH GUSTING WINDS. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STALLED AND ENTERED A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. ACCORDNG TO ONE PASSENGER THE PILOT WAS HOLDING FULL AFT ELEVATOR DURING THE DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE WATER HARD, BREAKING OFF THE FLOATS. THE AIRCRAFT THEN SANK SEVERAL MINUTES AFTER STRIKING THE WATER. THIS AIRCRAFT HAS NO STALL WARNING SYSTEM.
Probable Cause The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
Findings
Occurrence #1: LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT Phase of Operation: DESCENT - NORMAL
Findings 1. (F) WEATHER CONDITION - GUSTS 2. (C) STALL - INADVERTENT - PILOT IN COMMAND 3. (F) WEATHER CONDITION - HIGH WIND 4. (C) AIRSPEED - NOT MAINTAINED - PILOT IN COMMAND 5. (F) STALL WARNING SYSTEM - NOT INSTALLED ---------
Occurrence #2: IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER Phase of Operation: DESCENT - UNCONTROLLED
Findings 6. (F) EMERGENCY PROCEDURE - IMPROPER - PILOT IN COMMAND

• Fate Unknown •

VP-FAF de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver c/n 500

Purchased new from DHC at Downsview by the FI Govt for FIGAS. Emerged from the paint shop c1.5.53 as a silver airframe with a "Consolidated Blue" cheat line. Test-flown, dismantled, crated c1.6.53 then shipped on 'Fitzroy' to Stanley during 6/7.53. Under DHC supervision, aircraft was unpacked and assembled and then test-flown (by a DHC pilot) from Stanley Harbour prior to handover to FIGAS in 8.53. Due to a regn allocation error, the aircraft had been delivered painted as VP-FAE instead of VP-FAF. By 21.8.56 the mistake had been realized but the aeroplane remained marked as VP-FAE (see Note) until at least 6.6.67, the date of its last known flight for FIGAS. About then it was sold to L.J.Dorney of Mexico City, Mexico and regd N17597. Departed (crated) on 'Darwin' in late 1967 for Montevideo, Uruguay, and onward trans-shipment. Regn (VP-FAF) was cancelled on 15.3.68. As late as 11.84 spare (or replaced) wing marked VP-FAE was lying in the grass at Moody Brook near Stanley.

Summary of subsequent history: remained regd as N17597 with L.J.Dorney then to Paul H.Breed in 1969; Simpson Air Service Inc., Ketchikan AK 4.69; regd with Simpson again in 5.71 and then to Kenmore Air Harbor Inc., Kenmore WA in 8.71. Last noted in South East Alaska in 1980. No longer on current 2005 US Civil Aircraft Register. Fate unknown.

Hi Neil,

Just looking through your master index and note you have a photo of #500 prior to crating and shipping so thought I would send this shot which is in the Falklands just prior to the test flight after being rebuilt.

RH (Bob) Fowler was the pilot on 29 August 1953 along with John Trill who with the FIGAS engineers Dave Jones and Maurice Smith reassembled the aircraft. I was actually there as a youngster when all this took place.

The aircraft had no markings but eventually as you note an incorrect Reg. was painted on and never changed. Hey Ho!

The photo showing the engine runup has Bob Fowler being watched by John Trill, and a young Ian White!