ASN Aircraft accident de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 100 N6383 Whittier, CA
ASN logo
 

Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Thursday 9 January 1975
Time:16:07
Type:Silhouette image of generic DHC6 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 100
Operator:Golden West Airlines
Registration: N6383
MSN: 83
First flight: 1967
Total airframe hrs:10092
Engines: 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20
Crew:Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 10 / Occupants: 10
Total:Fatalities: 12 / Occupants: 12
Collision casualties:Fatalities: 2
Aircraft damage: Damaged beyond repair
Location:Whittier, CA (   United States of America)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Ontario International Airport, CA (ONT/KONT), United States of America
Destination airport:Los Angeles International Airport, CA (LAX/KLAX), United States of America
Flightnumber: 261
Narrative:
Golden West Flight 261 departed Ontario, CA at 15:56PST for a VFR flight to Los Angeles. At 16:04 the crew contacted LAX arrival and reported over Rose Hills. The flight was then cleared for the Terminal Control Area (TCA) and no. 2 arrival to runway 24L. At 16:05 the crew were advised that they had traffic 5,5nm in front of them climbing from 1500 to 3000 feet which was a police helicopter on a VFR flight. The arrival controller transmitted another advisory about the helicopter at 16:06, but there was no response. It appeared the Twin Otter had collided in flight at 2200 feet with a Cessna 150 aircraft (N11421). The Twin Otter was flying on a 250deg heading descending 300 feet/min at 146 knots airspeed while the Cessna was flying at 94 kts; the closing speed was 174 kts. The Cessna, operated by CessnAir Aviation had departed from Long Beach on a local training flight at 15:46. Both aircraft crashed. Debris caused some damage to houses and lawns near the crash site.

Probable Cause:

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The failure of both flight crews to see the other aircraft in sufficient time to initiate evasive action. The Board is unable to determine why each crew failed to see an avoid the other aircraft; however, the Board believes that the ability of both crews to detect the other aircraft in time to avoid a collision was reduced because of the position of the sun, the closure angle of the aircraft, and the necessity for the Twin Otter's fight crew to acquire visual contact with radar-reported traffic directly in front of them."

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: NTSB
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 210 days (7 months)
Accident number: NTSB/AAR-75-14
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Mid air collision
Loss of control

Sources:
» ICAO Aircraft Accident Digest, Circular 146-AN/96 (3-12)


Photos

photo of DHC-6-Twin-Otter-100-N6383
accident date: 09-01-1975
type: de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 100
registration: N6383
 

Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Ontario International Airport, CA to Los Angeles International Airport, CA as the crow flies is 75 km (47 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
languages: languages

Share

DHC-6 Twin Otter

  • 930+ built
  • 31st loss
  • 20th fatal accident
  • 5th worst accident (at the time)
  • 57th worst accident (currently)
» safety profile

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org