Amateur-built DHC-2 accident near Port Walter, Alaska, January 2, 1992
On January 2, 1992 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-2, registered N64396, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Walter, Alaska (Port Walter airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE EXCEEDED. A FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: ROUGH WATER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1992 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Port Walter, Alaska · Port Walter · 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
- N64396 · no longer on the register · serial 70
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE BEGINNING OF AN UNSCHEDULED CARGO FLIGHT WITH A FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE, THE AIRPLANE'S FLOATS STRUCK A WAVE JUST AFTER TAKEOFF. THE FLYING WIRES ON BOTH FLOATS BROKE LOOSE AND STRUCK THE AIRPLANE. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED TO ITS FINAL DESTINATION FOR A LANDING WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R985-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SIT Sitka AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°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.