- Date
- August 10, 2018, 20:43 local (Aug 11, 2018, 03:43 UTC)
- Place
- Steilacoom, WA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Other
- Aircraft
- N449QXDe Havilland DHC8
- Defining event
- Other: Security/criminal event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Lead agency
- Other
- Case key
- 98044
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 NTSB did not determine the probable cause of this event and does not plan to issue an investigative report or open a public docket. The investigation of this event is being conducted under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
On August 10, 2018, about 2043 Pacific daylight time, a De Havilland DHC-8-402, N449QX, was destroyed when it impacted trees on Ketron Island, near Steilacoom, WA. The noncertificated pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Horizon Air Industries, Inc,. and was being operated by the noncertificated pilot as an unauthorized flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the event, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Seattle, Washington, about 1932. Horizon Air personnel reported that the noncertificated pilot was employed as a ground service agent and had access to the airplanes on the ramp. The investigation of this event is being conducted under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The NTSB provided requested technical assistance to the FBI, and any material generated by the NTSB is under the control of the FBI. The NTSB does not plan to issue an investigative report or open a public docket.
Factual narrative
On August 10, 2018, about 2043 Pacific daylight time, a De Havilland DHC-8-402, N449QX, was destroyed when it impacted trees on Ketron Island, near Steilacoom, WA. The noncertificated pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Horizon Air Industries, Inc., and was being operated by the noncertificated pilot as an unauthorized flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the event, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Seattle, Washington, about 1932. Horizon Air personnel reported that the noncertificated pilot was employed as a ground service agent and had access to the airplanes on the ramp. The investigation of this event is being conducted under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The NTSB provided requested technical assistance to the FBI, and any material generated by the NTSB is under the control of the FBI. The NTSB does not plan to issue an investigative report or open a public docket.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N449QX
- Reported as
- De Havilland DHC8 (402)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4410
- Built
- 2012
- Engines
- Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A, turbo propPratt & Whitney Canada PW150A, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Operator
- Horizon Air Industries Inc
- Registered owner
- Horizon Air Industries Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- SEA · Seattle, WA
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
- 28
- Injuries
- Fatal
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KTIW, 8 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 9, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 35 KB in all.
Other investigations on N449QX · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.