Amateur-built BEAVER DHC-2 accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, July 26, 1984
On July 26, 1984 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built BEAVER DHC-2, registered N4787C, was destroyed in an accident near Ketchikan, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 4 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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 26, 1984 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ketchikan, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 4 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BEAVER DHC-2 BEAVER DHC
- Registration
- N4787C · registry record · serial 1330
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT FLEW INTO A CANYON WITH A CLIMB-OUT GRADIENT IN EXCESS OF THE ACFT CAPABILITY AND COLLIDED WITH THE UPSLOPING TERRAIN. THE PLT SAID HE HAD HIT A DOWNDRAFT AND TURNED AWAY FROM THE RISING TERRAIN JUST AS COLLISION OCCURRED. SURVIVING PASSENGERS DO NOT RECALL ANY TURBULENCE OR SINKING SENSATION BEFORE THE CRASH. THE PLT DID NOT REPORT ANY TURBULENCE OR DOWNDRAFTS ANYWHERE EXCEPT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,586 hours in all; 1,510 in this make and model; 3,359 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 168 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 7, 1984; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AK78 Yes Bay AK at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 5KE Ketchikan AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:57 am from KTN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 3 | 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 N4787C 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.