De Havilland DHC-2 N94DC

Summary

On 27 June 2019 at about 17:45 local time, a De Havilland DHC-2 registered N94DC, operated by Pacific Airways, was involved in an accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, United States. 5 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 June 2019 at 17:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Ketchikan, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Ketchikan Harbor (5KE)

Coordinates

55.3519, -132.4919

Aircraft

De Havilland DHC-2

Registration

N94DC

Category

Airplane

Year built

1951

Engines

1

Operator

Pacific Airways

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ketchikan → Ketchikan

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC19LA028

Nobody was injured.

A loss of directional control while landing, which resulted in a water loop.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, upon touchdown in the float-equipped airplane, the seaplane skipped, and the right float dug into the water. A video recorded by a cruise ship passenger captured the accident sequence and revealed that the airplane was landing parallel to an ocean swell and touched down in a relatively flat pitch attitude. After touchdown and encountering the swell, the airplane veered to the left, water looped, nosed down, and began to submerge. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, left lift strut, and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.