Dehavilland DHC-3 accident near Freeland, Washington, September 4, 2022
On September 4, 2022 at about 10:09 pm local time, a 1967 Dehavilland DHC-3, registered N725TH, was destroyed in an accident during enroute near Freeland, Washington. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 10 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The in-flight unthreading of the clamp nut from the horizontal stabilizer trim actuator barrel due to a missing lock ring, which resulted in the horizontal stabilizer moving to an extreme trailing-edge-down position rendering the airplane’s pitch uncontrollable.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 2022 · about 10:09 pm local time
- Place
- Freeland, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 10 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland DHC-3, built 1967 · all DHC-3s on the register
- Registration
- N725TH · no longer on the register · serial 466
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 4, 2022, about 1509 Pacific daylight time, a float-equipped de Havilland DHC-3 (Otter), N725TH, was destroyed when it impacted the water in Mutiny Bay, near Freeland, Washington, and sank. The pilot and nine passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was owned by Northwest Seaplanes, Inc., and operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 scheduled passenger flight by West Isle Air dba Friday Harbor Seaplanes. The flight originated at Friday Harbor Seaplane Base (W33), Friday Harbor, Washington, with an intended destination of Will Rogers Wiley Post Memorial Seaplane Base (W36), Renton, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Stabilizer control system › Malfunction
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Knowledge › Knowledge of equipment › Maintenance personnel
- Organizational issues › Development › Manufacture/production › Document/info production › Manufacturer
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › Maintenance provider
- Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Documentation/record keeping › Maintenance records › Maintenance provider
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,686 hours in all; 1,300 in this make and model; 297 in the last 90 days; 111 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 29, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24,430 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 2022; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: General Electric H80-200 (turboprop); 2,162 hours total
- Operator: West Isle Air
The flight
- Departed from: W33 Friday Harbor WA at 9:50 pm
- Destination: RNT Renton WA
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from K0S9, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K0S9 042215Z AUTO 31010KT 10SM FEW040 FEW075 BKN090 20/14 A3002 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 9 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
66 documents, released by the NTSB on August 31, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.