Whenever I read about Twin Otters crashing after takeoff, I always think of an incident that happened to me way back in the 1980's. Single crew operating out of Gatwick. After takeoff the propellor pitch controls (in the roof) have to be moved almost to the rear end of the quadrant in the process of setting climb/cruise power. I started to do so on this occasion and immediately felt that something was wrong so stopped and looked at what I was doing. I was moving the HP cock levers instead wasn't I? Fortunately the ends of these levers were a different shape to the pitch ones, hence the "wrong feeling" after I had moved them a mere half inch. I firmly pushed them fully forwards again and adjusted the correct levers as appropriate. Thus I avoided the double engine failure I would have otherwise suffered.
About 8 years later, I found myself flying the same type, this time in Africa and discovered that a plastic guard had been fitted over the HP cock levers to prevent this problem occurring. "Good idea" I thought, someone else has had the same problem."
A couple of years ago I went out to the Maldives for a holiday and the final leg of my journey was in a Twin Otter float plane. I noticed that this aircraft had not received the modification and on mentioning same to the pilot, he was very interested. I suppose a double engine failure on takeoff in a float plane isn't quite as serious a matter as it would be over a built up area!
P.P.