# NTSB DCA82AA022: de Havilland DHC-6-200, N103AQ, Hooper Bay, AK, May 16, 1982

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Final report
- Date: May 16, 1982, 10:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place: Hooper Bay, AK
- Location: 61.5239° N, 166.1466° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at HOOPER BAY (HPB), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5239&lon=-166.1466&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 8 serious
- Status: Completed, report May 16, 1983
- Report: Board-adopted at Board Meeting
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 71076
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA82AA022
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/71076/pdf
- Board report AAR8216 (PDF): https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR8216.pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA82AA022

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - final approach
  - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - aircraft weight and balance - exceeded, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - uncontrolled
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

AT 0833 ADT, THE ACFT DEPARTED BETHEL, AK ON A SCHEDULED PAX/CARGO COMMUTER FLT TO CHEVAK, SCAMMON BAY & HOOPER BAY, AK. THE OPERATOR'S COMMUTER FLTS HAD NOT LANDED AT SCAMMON BAY FOR SVRL DAYS SINCE THE RWY WAS SOFT & MUDDY FROM MELTINGSNOW. BFR DEPARTING CHEVAK, 902 LBS OF MAIL & BAGGAGE WAS PLACED IN THE AFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. ALSO, 2 PAX'S WERE ASKED TO SIT IN THE MOST AFT SEATS "TO LIGHTEN THE NOSE." AT SCAMMON BAY, THE UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE FROM A SHALLOW APCH WITH HI PWR. AFTER LANDING, 278 LBS OF MAIL WAS REMOVED FROM THE NOSE COMPARTMENT, LEAVING IT EMPTY, & 191 LBS OF CARGO WAS REMOVED FROM THE CABIN. THIS WAS DONE WITH 1 ENG RUNNING, NO OTR LOAD CHGS WERE MADE BFR TKOF. THE PAX RPRTD THAT DRG APCH TO HOOPER BAY, THE PWR WAS REDUCED ON A SOMEWHAT STEEPER APCH & THE SQUARE (FLAP) HNDL WAS MVD. THEY RPRTDTHAT SOON THEREAFTER, THE NOSE PITCHED UP & STALL WRNG SOUNDED. THE PLANE CRASHED APRX 1320 FT SHORT OF RWY 13. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE CG WAS APRX 7.7% BHND THE MAX AFT LMT. NO PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS FOUND.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N103AQ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N103AQ-1989-06-05), registration cancelled 1989-06-05, S/N 183 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: de Havilland DHC-6-200
- Registry model: [Dehavilland DHC-6 TWIN OTTER](https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-6-twin-otter) (registry code 2802606) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 183
- Airframe hours: 15267
- Engines: P & W PT6A-20 500 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Gifford Aviation
- Registered owner: Gifford Aviation
- Departed: C, BETHEL, AK
- Destination: C, HOOPER BAY, AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: HPB, Hooper Bay, runway 13, 3,600 × 100 ft

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 31; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 4,550 total, 1,100 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 100° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 95 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19820516019349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19820516019349A), May 16, 1982: Dhav DHC6TWNOTTER, Hooper Bay, AK, Substantial damage. Aircraft nose pitched up on short final, pilots lost control. Aircraft stalled and crashed. Loaded too FAR aft CG.

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.

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