# Accident 19961013031949A: Dhav DHC2*, Ketchikan, AK, October 13, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 13, 1996, 14:55 local time
- Place: Ketchikan, AK
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: QSSA
- Location: 55.6099° N, 131.5803° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=55.6099&lon=-131.5803&mi=10
- Aircraft: N64276 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: DHAV DHC2*
- Reported engine: PWA R98539A
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Pilot flight hours: 17,000 total, 8,500 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC97FA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97FA001) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961013031949A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN. (.4)THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED FOR A REMOTE AREA ON AN ON-DEMAND CHARTER FLIGHT IN A FLOAT-EQUIPPED AIRPLANE. AN EMERGENCY LOCATOR TRANSMITTER SIGNAL WAS HEARD IN THE AREA OF THE INTENDED DESTINATION ABOUT 55 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE. THE FLIGHT WAS REPORTED OVERDUE AND SEARCH PERSONNEL LOCATED THE WRECKAGE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 2,850 FEET IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ABOUT 2 AND 1/2 HOURS AFTER DEPARTURE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN BELOW THE TOP OF A STEEP RIDGE. SEARCH PERSONNEL REPORTED THE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN THE AREA INCLUDED LOW CEILINGS. THE CONDITIONS DETERIORATED DURING SUBSEQUENT RESCUE OPERATIONS. THE AREA FORECAST INCLUDED AN AIRMET FOR MARGINAL VFR CONDITIONS WITH MOUNTAIN OBSCURATION DUE TO CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC97FA001](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC97FA001), Oct 13, 1996: de Havilland DHC-2 (N64276), Ketchikan, AK, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: continued flight by the pilot into adverse weather condition, and his failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance from mountainous terrain. Factors related to the accident were the…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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