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20190513016771A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Dehavilland DHC-3 · Ketchikan, AK · May 13, 2019

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
May 13, 2019 · 12:21 local
Place
Ketchikan, AK
Airport
Ketchikan International
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
TQ0A
Collision
Midair collision
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N959PA
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN19MA141
Reported as
Dehavilland DHC-3
Reported engine
Pratt & Whitney PT-6A-34
People aboard
11
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
10
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
25,000 total25 in this make and model
N959PARegistration cancelled Jul 10, 2021 · Dehavilland DHC-3S/N 159 · Built 1956Airframe modelDehavilland DHC-3Engine modelPratt & Whitney R1340 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

? On Monday, may 13, 2019 at approximately 1221 pm adt, two de havilland floatplanes collided eight miles northeast of Ketchikan, Alaska (george inlet) at an estimated altitude of 3350 feet. The first aircraft (#1), N952DB, a de havilland DHC-2 ?beaver? Was operated by mountain air service - carrying one pilot and four passengers. The second aircraft (#2), N959PA, a de havilland DHC-3 ?otter? Was operated by taquan air - carrying one pilot and ten passengers. Both flights were operating under the provisions of part 135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

? The U.S. Coast guard responded with one helicopter and two USCG vessels. All five persons on board aircraft #1 were confirmed fatalities (reference graphic on next page). Ten persons on board aircraft #2 were rescued and transported to local hospitals. One person remains missing from aircraft #2. All 14 passengers are guests from the cruise ship royal princess.

This record may be amended at a future date.

As the FAA filed it

? ON MONDAY, MAY 13, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 1221 PM ADT, TWO DE HAVILLAND FLOATPLANES COLLIDED EIGHT MILES NORTHEAST OF KETCHIKAN, ALASKA (GEORGE INLET) AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 3350 FEET. THE FIRST AIRCRAFT (#1), N952DB, A DE HAVILLAND DHC-2 ?BEAVER? WAS OPERATED BY MOUNTAIN AIR SERVICE - CARRYING ONE PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS. THE SECOND AIRCRAFT (#2), N959PA, A DE HAVILLAND DHC-3 ?OTTER? WAS OPERATED BY TAQUAN AIR - CARRYING ONE PILOT AND TEN PASSENGERS. BOTH FLIGHTS WERE OPERATING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF PART 135. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

? THE U.S. COAST GUARD RESPONDED WITH ONE HELICOPTER AND TWO USCG VESSELS. ALL FIVE PERSONS ON BOARD AIRCRAFT #1 WERE CONFIRMED FATALITIES (REFERENCE GRAPHIC ON NEXT PAGE). TEN PERSONS ON BOARD AIRCRAFT #2 WERE RESCUED AND TRANSPORTED TO LOCAL HOSPITALS. ONE PERSON REMAINS MISSING FROM AIRCRAFT #2. ALL 14 PASSENGERS ARE GUESTS FROM THE CRUISE SHIP ROYAL PRINCESS.

THIS RECORD MAY BE AMENDED AT A FUTURE DATE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN19MA141Accident · 6 fatalClass 1 · MajorFinal reportKetchikan, AKThe inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid concept, which prevented the two pilots from seeing the other airplane before the collision, and the absence of visual and aural alerts from both airplanes’ traffic display systems, while operating in a geographic…May 13, 2019 · 2 aircraft · Substantial damage