Amateur-built DHC-6-300 accident near Tau, Aq, July 21, 1984
On July 21, 1984 at about 5:40 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-6-300, registered N43SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tau (Tau airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed, 5 people were seriously injured and 8 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 1984 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Tau, Antarctica · Tau
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 5 people were seriously injured and 8 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-6-300
- Registration
- N43SP · registry record · serial 669
- 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
THE ACFT CRASH LANDED AFTER THE PLT USED FLAPS AND POWER TO SEMI-CONTROL PITCH AFTER THE ELEVATOR DOWN CONTROL CABLE FAILED AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL ON FINAL APPROACH. THE LEFT WING OF THE ACFT HIT THE TERMINAL ROOF DURING THE STALL MUSH FROM50 FT AGL. THE COMPANY IS CHANGING THEIR ACFT CONTROL CABLES FROM STEEL TO STAINLESS STEEL TO AID IN THE ANTI-CORROSION AND MODIFYING THEIR INSPECTION PERIOD FROM 800 TO 100 HOURS BETWEEN INSPECTIONS. THE CABLE THAT SEPARATED FAILED FROM CORROSION. NO EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE CRACKING OR MECHANICAL WEAR WAS FOUND. CORROSION PRODUCTS WERE FOUND WITHIN 2 INCHES OF THE SERAPATION ON BOTH CABLE PIECES.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,094 hours in all; 1,020 in this make and model; 391 in the last 90 days; 117 in the last 30 days; 4,026 as pilot in command; 93 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,281 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 20, 1984; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 16
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-27 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PPG Pago Pago,Samoa OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 2,170 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 | 7 |
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.