Amateur-built DHC-3 accident near Cordova, Alaska, September 7, 2001
On September 7, 2001 at about 7:45 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-3, registered N254AW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cordova, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 8 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during cruise due to the fracture of an engine cylinder exhaust valve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2001 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cordova, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 8 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-3
- Registration
- N254AW · registry record · serial 254
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated commerical pilot with eight passengers aboard, was in cruise flight when he heard a loud bang as the engine began to run rough and lose power. As the pilot was performing engine emergency procedures, he smelled smoke in the cabin, and noted that the oil pressure was rapidly decreasing. During the subsequent forced landing in a marshy, muskeg-covered area, the airplane nosed over, and sustained substantial damage to right wing strut, engine firewall, and empennage. When the engine was disassembled, the exhaust valve within the number one cylinder was found fractured.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,000 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 21,000 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,838.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 20, 2001; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R1340-59 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CVD Cordova AK at 2:00 pm
- Destination: CVD Cordova AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.