Amateur-built DHC-2 and amateur-built DHC-3 mid-air collision near Ketchikan, Alaska, August 19, 2002
On August 19, 2002 at about 3:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, amateur-built DHC-2 (N64393) and amateur-built DHC-3 (N409PA), were involved in a mid-air collision near Ketchikan, Alaska. No one was hurt; 16 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot of the other airplane to maintain an adequate visual lookout, which resulted in a midair collision between the two airplanes.
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate visual outlook during cruise climb, which resulted in a midair collision between the two airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2002 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ketchikan, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 16 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Amateur-built DHC-2
- Registration
- N64393 · no longer on the register · serial 845
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Amateur-built DHC-3
- Registration
- N409PA · registry record · serial 409
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built DHC-2 final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two airplanes operated by the same company, a float-equipped deHavilland DHC-2 Beaver, and a float-equipped deHavilland DHC-3 Turbine Otter, collided in midair as they were en route to the same remote destination. The Beaver sustained minor damage to the floats, and the Turbine Otter sustained substantial damage to the top portion of the wings, the fuselage, and vertical stabilizer. The collision occurred over an area of coastal channels and fjords. The pilot of the Beaver stated that his airplane was the first of three company airplanes to depart. Once airborne, and clear of the class E airspace, he changed radio frequencies to monitor a common traffic advisory frequency. He said that about 15 minutes after departure, while in level cruise flight, about 2,000 feet above the water, he felt a sudden thump, followed by a pronounced airframe shudder. He then observed the top of the left wing of the Turbine Otter to his left side, just under the floats of his airplane. He said that just after the two airplanes collided, the Turbine Otter made a left, descending turn, away from his airplane. He said that after determining that he still had full flight control, he elected to return to the operator's base of operation. The pilot of theTurbine Otter said that his airplane was the second of three airplanes. He said that he departed about 5 minutes after the Beaver, and proceeded on a northerly heading, while climbing the airplane to about 2,200 feet. He said that he changed radio frequencies to monitor a common traffic advisory frequency. He said that about 10 minutes after departure, he heard one of the passengers seated in the rear of the airplane yell "airplane." About two seconds later, the pilot heard a loud scrape on the top portion of the airplane. The pilot said that just after the impact, he experienced some difficulty in controlling the airplane, but was soon able to regain partial control, and subsequently made an emergency landing in the ocean waters in the channel. The pilot of theTurbine Otter reported that his airplane was about 10 knots faster than the Beaver.
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-3 final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two airplanes operated by the same company, a float-equipped deHavilland DHC-2 Beaver, and a float-equipped deHavilland DHC-3 Turbine Otter, collided in midair as they were en route to the same remote destination. The Beaver sustained minor damage to the floats, and the Turbine Otter sustained substantial damage to the top portion of the wings, the fuselage, and vertical stabilizer. The collision occurred over an area of coastal channels and fjords. The pilot of the Beaver stated that his airplane was the first of three company airplanes to depart. Once airborne, and clear of the class E airspace, he changed radio frequencies to monitor a common traffic advisory frequency. He said that about 15 minutes after departure, while in level cruise flight, about 2,000 feet above the water, he felt a sudden thump, followed by a pronounced airframe shudder. He then observed the top of the left wing of the Turbine Otter to his left side, just under the floats of his airplane. He said that just after the two airplanes collided, the Turbine Otter made a left, descending turn, away from his airplane. He said that after determining that he still had full flight control, he elected to return to the operator's base of operation. The pilot of theTurbine Otter said that his airplane was the second of three airplanes. He said that he departed about 5 minutes after the Beaver, and proceeded on a northerly heading, while climbing the airplane to about 2,200 feet. He said that he changed radio frequencies to monitor a common traffic advisory frequency. He said that about 10 minutes after departure, he heard one of the passengers seated in the rear of the airplane yell "airplane." About two seconds later, the pilot heard a loud scrape on the top portion of the airplane. The pilot said that just after the impact, he experienced some difficulty in controlling the airplane, but was soon able to regain partial control, and subsequently made an emergency landing in the ocean waters in the channel. The pilot of theTurbine Otter reported that his airplane was about 10 knots faster than the Beaver.
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-2 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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 550 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 4,200 as pilot in command; 2,020 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 3, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 29,665.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 9, 2002; 43.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,370 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985-14-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5KE Ketchikan AK at 10:30 am
- Destination: 5KE Ketchikan AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
The factual record for the amateur-built DHC-3 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: 8,530 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 271 in the last 90 days; 101 in the last 30 days; 8,372 as pilot in command; 1,570 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 23, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,541.3 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 5, 2002; 62.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,967 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Promech, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: 5KE Ketchikan AK at 10:33 am
- Destination: 5KE Ketchikan AK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 10 |
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.