Cessna 206 and Aerospatiale AS350D mid-air collision near Dillingham, Alaska, May 25, 1988
On May 25, 1988 at about 3:46 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 206 (N4882U) and Aerospatiale AS350D (N353EH), were involved in a mid-air collision near Dillingham, Alaska. 4 people were killed. 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
- May 25, 1988 · about 3:46 am local time
- Place
- Dillingham, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N4882U · no longer on the register · serial U20605140
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Aerospatiale AS350D · all AS350Ds on the register
- Registration
- N353EH · no longer on the register · serial 1338
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 206 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 206 AIRPLANE AND AN AEROSPATIALE AS350D HELICOPTER COLLIDED IN MIDAIR ONE-HALF MILE SOUTH OF THE DILLINGHAM AIRPORT, DILLINGHAM AK. BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH THE DILLINGHAM FLIGHT SERVICE STATION AND HAD RECEIVED THE APPROPRIATE FLIGHT ADVISORIES. THE CESSNA WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS, AND HAD JUST DEPARTED RUNWAY 19 WHEN IT WAS STRUCK FROM THE LEFT SIDE AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 400' AGL. THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A 14 CFR PART 135 CARGO ONLY FLIGHT, AND WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE OR A SLIGHT CLIMB AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES RELATED THAT NEITHER AIRCRAFT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR HUB AND TAIL BOOM SEPARATED PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT, AND THE CESSNA'S TAIL SECTION SEPARATED AND RIGHT WING FOLDED PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. TAIL ROTOR BLADE STRIKES WERE VISIBLE ON THE BOTTOM AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE CESSNA, AND MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRIKES WERE VISIBLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE.
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 Aerospatiale AS350D final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 206 AIRPLANE AND AN AEROSPATIALE AS350D HELICOPTER COLLIDED IN MIDAIR ONE-HALF MILE SOUTH OF THE DILLINGHAM AIRPORT, DILLINGHAM, AK. BOTH AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN COMMUNICATING WITH THE DILLINGHAM FLIGHT SERVICE STATION AND HAD RECEIVED THE APPROPRIATE FLIGHT ADVISORIES. THE CESSNA WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS, AND HAD JUST DEPARTED RUNWAY 19 WHEN IT WAS STRUCK FROM THE LEFT SIDE AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 400' AGL. THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A 14 CFR PART 135 CARGO ONLY FLIGHT, AND WAS IN LEVEL CRUISE OR A SLIGHT CLIMB AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES RELATED THAT NEITHER AIRCRAFT TOOK EVASIVE ACTION PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR HUB AND TAIL BOOM SEPARATED PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT, AND THE CESSNA'S TAIL SECTION SEPARATED AND RIGHT WING FOLDED PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. TAIL ROTOR BLADE STRIKES WERE VISIBLE ON THE BOTTOM AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE CESSNA, AND MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRIKES WERE VISIBLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE.
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 Cessna 206 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,259 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 5, 1988; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Starflite, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DLG Dillingham AK at 10:45 pm
- Destination: DLG
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 6,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from DLG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Aerospatiale AS350D from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,287 hours in all; 337 in this make and model; 248 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,250 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 19, 1988; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTS101600A3 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DLG Dillingham AK at 10:44 pm
- Destination: Hagemeister Is AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
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.