Amateur-built DHC-2 accident near Mcgrath, Alaska, September 16, 1988
On September 16, 1988 at about 1:09 am local time, a amateur-built DHC-2, registered N98JH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcgrath, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- September 16, 1988 · about 1:09 am local time
- Place
- Mcgrath, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-2
- Registration
- N98JH · registry record · serial 953
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND EXPERIENCED A ROUGH ENGINE AND FINALLY AN UNEXPLAINED POWER REDUCTION TO IDLE. HE WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE THE FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE TO A BODY OF WATER AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING ON THE TUNDRA WHERE THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A FAILED EXHAUST VALVE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 275 in the last 90 days; 120 in the last 30 days; 5,200 as pilot in command; 450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,800 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 13, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 5,090 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Inoko River AK at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.