Dehavilland DHC 6 TWIN OTTER and Dehavilland DHC 6 200 accident near Sebastian, Florida, February 9, 2015
On February 9, 2015 at about 11:15 am local time, 2 aircraft, Dehavilland DHC 6 TWIN OTTER (N30EA) and Dehavilland DHC 6 200 (N70EA), were involved in the same accident near Sebastian, Florida (Sebastian Municipal airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to conduct all of the required items on the Before Starting Engines checklist, which resulted in her failure to detect an open hydraulic circuit breaker and led to insufficient hydraulic pressure to operate the airplane's brakes, her subsequent loss of airplane control, and ground collision with an airplane.
The failure of the other airplane pilot to conduct all of the required items on the Before Starting Engines checklist, which resulted in her failure to detect an open hydraulic circuit breaker and led to insufficient hydraulic pressure to operate the airplane’s brakes, her subsequent loss of airplane control, and ground collision with an airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 2015 · about 11:15 am local time
- Place
- Sebastian, Florida · Sebastian Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Dehavilland DHC 6 TWIN OTTER, built 1968 · all DHC 6 TWIN OTTERs on the register
- Registration
- N30EA · registry record · serial 191
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Dehavilland DHC 6 200 · all DHC 6 200s on the register
- Registration
- N70EA · registry record · serial 139
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Dehavilland DHC 6 TWIN OTTER final · quoted from the NTSB record
A de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter airplane, N30EA, collided with another Twin Otter airplane, N70EA, on the runway. The pilot of N30EA reported that, once she started the engines, the airplane rolled forward and to the left 180 degrees because the steering-tiller had been positioned sharply to the left when the airplane was last parked. The pilot stated that, when she applied the brakes, there was no response, and the airplane subsequently collided with the right wing of N70EA. The pilot of N30EA reported that, after the collision, she noted that the hydraulic circuit breaker was open; this would have resulted in insufficient hydraulic pressure to control the parking or pedal brakes. The pilot of N30EA said that she should have noticed that the hydraulic circuit breaker was open before she started the engines because it was part of the Before Starting Engines checklist.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Dehavilland DHC 6 200 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter airplane, N30EA, collided with another Twin Otter airplane, N70EA, on the runway. The pilot of N30EA reported that, once she started the engines, the airplane rolled forward and to the left 180 degrees because the steering-tiller had been positioned sharply to the left when the airplane was last parked. The pilot stated that, when she applied the brakes, there was no response, and the airplane subsequently collided with the right wing of N70EA. The pilot of N30EA reported that, after the collision, she noted that the hydraulic circuit breaker was open; this would have resulted in insufficient hydraulic pressure to control the parking or pedal brakes. The pilot of N30EA said that she should have noticed that the hydraulic circuit breaker was open before she started the engines because it was part of the Before Starting Engines checklist.
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 for the Dehavilland DHC 6 TWIN OTTER from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) start-up)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,654 hours in all; 372 in this make and model; 141 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 2,524 as pilot in command; 229 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 4, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 8, 2015; 32,305 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,501 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-34 (turboprop); 4,238 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-34 (turboprop); 4,238 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Air Transport INC
The flight
- Departed from: X26 Sebastian FL
- Destination: MYEF Exuma
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 12°F (-11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from VRB, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Dehavilland DHC 6 200 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) not oper) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot of other aircraft
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 550 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-34 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-34 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Air Transport INC
The flight
- Departed from: X26 Sebastian FL
- Destination: MYEF Exuma
- Flight plan: IFR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N30EA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
2001-06-16CHI01LA167 · accident near Ottawa, IL · minor damage · serious injuries
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.