- Date
- September 26, 1985, 12:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Merrill Pass, AK
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5317Gde Havilland DHC-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19850926048169A
- Case key
- 4429
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The acft collided with terrain in a mountain Pass at an elevation of 3600 ft MSL. The plt obtained a wx briefing at 1329 gmt on 9/26/86 at which time Merrill Pass was forecast to be closed by 1100 adt due to deteriorating wx. The last radio communication with the acft was at 1803 gmt when contact was made with mcgrath fss. At this time the plt made a plt report stating the wx at Merrill Pass was marginal; 2 miles vis with snow and occasional moderate turbulence. The wreckage was located on 6/29/85 and indicated the acft contacted the terrain in a relatively level attitude with considerable airspeed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5317G
- Reported as
- de Havilland DHC-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 617
- Airframe hours
- 7,640
- Engine
- P&W R-985-14B, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Willow Air Service, doing business as Willow Air Service
- Registered owner
- Willow Air Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 6, 1985 · 95 hours before
- Departed
- Hidden River, AK
- Destination
- Z22 · Willow, AK
- Flight plan
- VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,900 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 4,650 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 37 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5317G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.