De Havilland DHC-3 N708KA

Summary

On 11 April 2026 at about 08:45 local time, a De Havilland DHC-3 registered N708KA, operated by Key West Seaplane Adventures, was involved in an accident near Dry Tortugas, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

11 April 2026 at 08:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Dry Tortugas, Florida, United States

Coordinates

24.6212, -82.8687

Aircraft

De Havilland DHC-3

Registration

N708KA

Category

Airplane

Year built

1954

Engines

1

Operator

Key West Seaplane Adventures

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Key West

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA26LA172

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On April 11, 2026, about 0845 eastern daylight time, an amphibious DeHavilland DHC-3, N708KA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Dry Tortugas, Florida. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 repositioning flight. The pilot reported that he taxied the airplane away from the beach and completed the pre-takeoff checklist for water operations. After aligning the airplane into the wind, he initiated the water run for takeoff. At 70 mph, he applied aft yoke pressure, but the airplane did not liftoff. He then felt resistance on the right side and the airplane began to yaw to the right. The airplane subsequently pitched abruptly forward and nosed over into the water, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. A postaccident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector established flight control continuity from the cockpit to all primary and secondary flight controls. The elevator trim was found in the full nose-down position. The examination revealed no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.