Amateur-built DHC-8-102 accident near Portland, Oregon, March 6, 2001
On March 6, 2001 at about 3:40 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-8-102, registered N822PH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portland, Oregon (Portland International airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 33 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the number 5 engine bearing assembly followed by the disconnection of the P2.5/P3 switching valve to rear inlet case sealing air tube and the melting of the NL probe port (sealing tube) which allowed an oil fed fire beyond the constraints of the engine casing and into the engine nacelle. A contributing factor was the company's failure to follow several maintenance procedures within the maintenance manual after a previous oil loss event. A second factor was the omission of the PW120A engine from the airworthiness directive issued by the FAA which mandated the completion of Pratt & Whitney service bulletin 20914. The lack of inclusion of the PW120A engine in the AD resulted in the company’s correct interpretation that the service bulletin was not mandatory.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2001 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Portland, Oregon · Portland International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 33 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-8-102
- Registration
- N822PH · no longer on the register · serial 106
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Horizon Air flight 2325, a de Havilland DHC-8-102, on a scheduled 14CFR121 flight sustained an engine fire in a Pratt & Whitney (P&W) PW120A engine while on approach to Portland International airport, Portland, Oregon. An engine examination and teardown determined that the #5 bearing assembly had failed. Additional examination ascertained that the P2.5/P3 switching valve to rear inlet case sealing air tube had become disconnected, and the NL probe port sealing tube had melted, allowing an oil fed fire outside of the engine casing and into the engine compartment. Investigation determined that the engine had not been placed on oil consumption and daily chip detector examination by company maintenance as required by the engine maintenance manual following a loss of oil event approximately 180 hours previous to the fire. Additionally, the mandatory implementation of P&W service bulletin 20914, which addressed the P2.5/P3 switching valve to rear inlet case sealing air tube and NL probe port sealing tube was not carried out by the company, nor was it required, as the FAA airworthiness directive making the service bulletin mandatory did not include the PW120A engine. The investigation also revealed that the company mandated implementation of P&W service bulletin 21446R3, was not carried out during an earlier hot section inspection and immediately preceding the earlier oil loss event.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,240 hours in all; 3,789 in this make and model; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 16, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,084 hours in all; 1,758 in this make and model; 4,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 31,435 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 29, 2001; 180 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 34,500 lb
- Seats: 40
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PW120A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PW120A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Horizon Air Industries, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SEA Seattle WA at 2:50 pm
- Destination: PDX Portland OR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10R, 11,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from PDX, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 30 |
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.