Amateur-built DHC-6 accident near Sleepy Bay, Alaska, September 19, 1989
On September 19, 1989 at about 8:10 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-6, registered N851TB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sleepy Bay, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN (WATER CONDITION) BY THE PILOT. THE ROUGH WATER CONDITION WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1989 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Sleepy Bay, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-6
- Registration
- N851TB · registry record · serial 201
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,650 hours in all; 2,100 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 3,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,821 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 15, 1989; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,600 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mcpherson Bay AK at 1:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 075° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.