Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2A-26 ISLANDER N68HA
20 August 1991 · Ketchikan, Alaska, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 20 August 1991 at about 21:15 local time, a Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2A-26 ISLANDER registered N68HA, operated by Temsco Helicopters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
- Nearest airport
- Ketchikan Intnl (KTN)
- Coordinates
- 55.6798, -132.1892
- Aircraft
- Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2A-26 ISLANDER
- Registration
- N68HA
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Temsco Helicopters, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Ketchikan → Wrangell
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- Unk
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA91FA216
People
4 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE VFR IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE UPSLOPING TERRAIN IN THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT PATH AS WELL AS WEATHER CONDITIONS RESULTING IN AN OBSCURATION OF THE TERRAIN.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF AN HOUR AFTER DEPARTING FOR WRANGELL, ALASKA, THE PILOT OF THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMUTER FLIGHT CONTACTED COMPANY DISPATCH APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES FROM KETCHIKAN, AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS RETURNING DUE TO WEATHER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PILOT COMMUNICATED WITH ANOTHER COMPANY PILOT FLYING IN THE SAME VICINITY AND BOTH PILOTS DESCRIBED THE WEATHER AT THEIR RESPECTIVE LOCATIONS AS 'MARGINAL'. WEATHER CONDITINS AT THE KETCHIKAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (18 NAUTICAL MILES FROM THE CRASH SITE) AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE CHARACTERIZED BY LOW CEILINGS, MULTIPLE CLOUD LAYERS AND REDUCED (3 MILE) VISIBILITIES WITH LIGHT RAIN. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES/RISING TERRAIN AT 800 FEET MSL WHILE IN A NEAR LEVEL FLIGHT PATH HEADED EAST SOUTHEAST. RIGHT WINGTIP IMPACT SIGNATURES INDICATED A VERY SHALLOW RIGHT WING DOWN/NOSE UP ATTITUDE AT THE INITIAL TREE IMPACTS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Mar 1991 | Piper PA-20 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | Hickok, Bruce D. | No injuries | - |
| 22 May 1991 | David K Maxwell MAX-1 | Sutton, Alaska, United States | Stanley R. Dapkus | Serious injuries | - |
| 5 Jan 1991 | Cessna 172G | Wasilla, Alaska, United States | Larry M. Driskill | No injuries | - |
| 2 Feb 1991 | Champion 7EC | Eagle River, Alaska, United States | Robert C. Bischoff | No injuries | - |
| 29 Mar 1991 | Cessna 206 | Homer, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 4 |
| 9 Apr 1991 | Piper PA-18-150 | Tatitlek, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |