Narrative:
After departing the floatplane base on a company VFR flight plan, the Otter proceeded northwest along a salt water strait at a low altitude above water. Two miles Northwest of the airport the aircraft entered a snow squall and the pilot attempted a steep turn to reverse course. During the turn the aircraft impacted and sank in 167 feet deep water.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's inadvertant flight into ifr conditions and the stall which occurred during the turn to reverse course. Contributing to the accident were the snow conditions encountered."
Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Water
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Sunday 15 January 1989 |
| Time: | 08:10 |
| Type: |  de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter |
| Operator: | Temsco Helicopters |
| Registration: | N11250 |
| MSN: | 171 |
| First flight: | 1957 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 10366 |
| Engines: | 1 Pratt & Whitney R-1340-59 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | near Ketchikan, AK ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Non Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Ketchikan Harbor Seaplane Base, AK (WFB), United States of America |
| Klawock Airport, AK (KLW/PAKW), United States of America |
After departing the floatplane base on a company VFR flight plan, the Otter proceeded northwest along a salt water strait at a low altitude above water. Two miles Northwest of the airport the aircraft entered a snow squall and the pilot attempted a steep turn to reverse course. During the turn the aircraft impacted and sank in 167 feet deep water.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot's inadvertant flight into ifr conditions and the stall which occurred during the turn to reverse course. Contributing to the accident were the snow conditions encountered."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
VFR flight in IMC Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) - Water
Sources:
» NTSBPhotos
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 Ketchikan Harbor Seaplane Base, AK to Klawock Airport, AK as the crow flies is 92 km (58 miles).
Distance from Ketchikan Harbor Seaplane Base, AK to Klawock Airport, AK as the crow flies is 92 km (58 miles).
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.
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