Amateur-built DHC-2 accident near Crescent Lake, Alaska, August 12, 1992
On August 12, 1992 at about 7:45 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-2, registered N8190Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crescent Lake, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGING HIS ALTITUDE ON FINAL APPROACH. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE GLASSY WATER CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1992 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Crescent Lake, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-2
- Registration
- N8190Y · registry record · serial 824
- 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
APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS AFTER LEVELING THE WINGS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR A GLASSY WATER LANDING ON A LARGE LAKE, THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A HARD PREMATURE LANDING. THE FLOATS WERE SEPARATED, AND THE AIRPLANE SANK IMMEDIATELY. THE PILOT SAID THAT BECAUSE OF THE FLAT LIGHTING AND GLASSY WATER CONDITIONS HE LOST HIS DEPTH PERCEPTION AND MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE. HE SAID WHEN THE AIRPLANE HIT THE WATER HE THOUGHT HE WAS STILL 70 TO 80 FEET ABOVE THE WATER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,835 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 27, 1992; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,090 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alaska West Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ENA Kenai AK at 2:00 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,500 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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 N8190Y 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.