Amateur-built DHC-6-300 and amateur-built DHC-6-300 accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, June 20, 2002
On June 20, 2002 at about 1:00 am local time, 2 aircraft, amateur-built DHC-6-300 (N353PM) and amateur-built DHC-6-300 (N235SA), were involved in the same accident near Ketchikan, Alaska (Ketchikan Water Front airport). No one was hurt; 31 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of a ground handler to follow company procedures/directives, and his premature release of a mooring line. Factors associated with the accident were the congested operations area, and the operator's failure to provide adequate safe zones for the airplanes.
The failure of a ground handler to follow company proceedure/directives, and his premature release of a mooring line. Factors associated with the accident were the congested operations area, and the operator's failure to provide adequate safe zones for the airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 2002 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Ketchikan, Alaska · Ketchikan Water Front · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 31 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Amateur-built DHC-6-300
- Registration
- N353PM · no longer on the register · serial 351
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Amateur-built DHC-6-300
- Registration
- N235SA · registry record · serial 771
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built DHC-6-300 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A float-equipped deHavilland DHC-6, N235SA, was moored at a dock. The passengers were boarded, and the two pilots were finishing preflight duties. The airplane's engines were not running. Moored at the same dock, about four feet behind N235SA, was another float-equipped deHavilland DHC-6, N353PM. Both airplanes were being operated as sightseeing flights. The pilots of N353PM had completed their pretaxi checks, and the engines were running. The pilot in command of N353PM signaled the dockhand to disconnect the shore power. The dockhand disconnected the shore power, and without direction to do so, let go the mooring ropes. N353PM, under idle power, surged forward into the tail of N235SA. Both airplanes received substantial damage. Company procedures at the time of the accident directed the dockhand to wait for a signal from the pilot before letting go the mooring ropes. Post-accident the operation has been moved to a longer dock, to provide greater distance between airplanes. The procedure has been changed, and the first officer is now responsible for releasing the mooring ropes at the direction of the pilot.
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 NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built DHC-6-300 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A float-equipped deHavilland DHC-6, N235SA, was moored at a dock. The passengers were boarded, and the two pilots were finishing preflight duties. The airplane's engines were not running. Moored at the same dock, about four feet behind N235SA, was another float-equipped deHavilland DHC-6, N353PM. Both airplanes were being operated as sightseeing flights. The pilots of N353PM had completed their pretaxi checks, and the engines were running. The pilot in command of N353PM signaled the dockhand to disconnect the shore power. The dockhand disconnected the shore power, and without direction to do so, let go the mooring ropes. N353PM, under idle power, surged forward into the tail of N235SA. Both airplanes received substantial damage. Company procedures at the time of the accident directed the dockhand to wait for a signal from the pilot before letting go the mooring ropes. Post-accident the operation has been moved to a longer dock, to provide greater distance between airplanes. The procedure has been changed, and the first officer is now responsible for releasing the mooring ropes at the direction of the pilot.
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 for the amateur-built DHC-6-300 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,523 hours in all; 1,042 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 11,323 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 16, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,701.1 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 11, 2001; 95.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 19
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Promech INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Ketchikan AK
- Destination: Ketchikan AK
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,400 ft; scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 8:09 pm from PAKT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 15 |
The factual record for the amateur-built DHC-6-300 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,900 hours in all; 880 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 170 in the last 30 days; 12,586 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 19, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,300 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 246 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 6,800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 11, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,732 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 23, 2002; 106 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 19
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT-6A-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Promech INC.
The flight
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 12 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC02LA053.