Douglas DC-3C accident near Dillingham, Alaska, December 16, 1985
On December 16, 1985 at about 2:40 am local time, a Douglas DC-3C, registered N777YA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dillingham, Alaska (Dillingham airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 1985 · about 2:40 am local time
- Place
- Dillingham, Alaska · Dillingham · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-3C · all DC-3Cs on the register
- Registration
- N777YA · no longer on the register · serial 25634
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,600 hours in all; 308 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23,156 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 15, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 25,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1830-92 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ANC Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10, 6,400 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 350° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:10 pm from DLG, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N777YA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.