- Date
- December 12, 1996, 09:05 local (13:05 UTC)
- Place
- Ketchikan, AK
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N67694de Havilland DHC-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19961212039309A
- Case key
- 2955
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, and failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with terrain (water). A factor associated with the accident was the gusty wind condition.
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
According to the passenger, he and the pilot had just taken off, and as they were climbing out over an open water portion of a bay, the pilot said, 'here comes a gust.' Reportedly, the pilot added engine power, and the airplane began descending. The right wing started to dip, and the nose started to drop. The pilot had the control yoke turned all the way to the left, then yelled that they were going in. The airplane crashed in the water, and the passenger exited the airplane through the windshield. He did not see the pilot. The deceased pilot was found still strapped in his seat several days later, when a portion of the wreckage was recovered.
Factual narrative
On December 12, 1996, at 0905 Alaska standard time, a float equipped DHC-2 Beaver airplane, N67694, registered to and operated by Taquan Air Service of Ketchikan, Alaska, crashed during takeoff from the water near Port Johnson, Alaska, located about 18 miles southwest of Ketchikan. The on demand air taxi flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, was departing the location of the accident and the destination was Ketchikan. A company visual flight rules flight plan was in effect and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The certificated airline transport pilot was fatally injured and the passenger received minor injuries. The airplane sank in 400 feet of water.
According to the company, the passenger stated they had just taken off. They were in the initial climb phase when the right wing started to dip and the nose started to drop. The pilot had the control yoke turned all the way to the left and applied full power. He then yelled that they were going in. The airplane crashed into the water and the passenger exited the airplane through the windshield. He did not see the pilot.
During a telephone interview with the passenger, he stated that there was very little wind or wave action in the takeoff area. The takeoff area is protected by trees and the shoreline. After takeoff, as the pilot flew the airplane and exited the bay from which they took off, the passenger heard the pilot say, "here comes a gust." The passenger stated he could see the ripples on the water as a gust of wind struck the airplane. The engine power increased and the airplane began to descend. Then the right wing pointed at the water and the left wing was pointing at the sky. The passenger does not remember how the airplane struck the water. He exited the airplane after attempting to release his seat belt four times. He exited through the missing windshield.
The airplane was recovered in 411 feet of water near Port Johnson. As the salvage crew raised the airplane, the engine and instrument panel, the entire cockpit section forward of the pilot, broke away and sank. The remainder of the airplane was stored on a barge. The wreckage could not be examined due to the high winds. The barge could not sail across the open water due to the high winds. The wreckage was blown off the barge approximately 5 days later and the wreckage sank. It has not been recovered.
The pilot's remains were discovered still strapped into his seat when the fuselage was recovered.
An autopsy of the pilot was conducted by Dr. M.W. Stewart, 3100 Tongass Avenue, Ketchikan, Alaska.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N67694
- Reported as
- de Havilland DHC-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 924
- Airframe hours
- 20,640
- Engine
- P&W R-985-AN-14B, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Taquan Air Service
- Registered owner
- Brian And Louise Macmanus
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 29, 1996 · 87 hours before
- Departed
- Port Johnson, AK
- Destination
- KTN · AK
- Flight plan
- Company 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
- 48
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 17,800 total · 8,500 in this make and model · 17,700 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 51 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 25 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft broken
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.