Amateur-built DHC-2 and amateur-built DHC-2 accident near Metlakatla, Alaska, January 30, 1986
On January 30, 1986 at about 4:15 pm local time, 2 aircraft, amateur-built DHC-2 (N127WA) and amateur-built DHC-2 (N1018H), were involved in the same accident near Metlakatla, Alaska (Metlakatla Seaplane Base airport). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 1986 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Metlakatla, Alaska · Metlakatla Seaplane Base · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Amateur-built DHC-2
- Registration
- N127WA · no longer on the register · serial 1242-A
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Amateur-built DHC-2
- Registration
- N1018H · registry record · serial 732
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built DHC-2 final · quoted from the NTSB record
WIND WAS 070 DEGREES AT 20 KTS WITH 6-12 INCH SWEELS. N127WA WAS POSITIONED AT NORTH SIDE OF DOCK FOR DEPARTURE TOWARD EAST. N1018H WAS HOLDING AT EAST SIDE OF DOCK. DECK HAND CAST OFF N127WA BEFORE PLT STARTED ENGINE; ACFT BEGAN TO DRIFT BACK INTO DOCK. PLT STARTED ENG, ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER AWAY FROM DOCK, BUT DOCK PROXIMITY PROHIBITED USE OF SUFFICIENT POWER TO ESTABLISH STEERAGEWAY UNDER EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS. N127WA DRIFTED AROUND NORTHEAST CORNER OF DOCK AND INTO N1018H. N127WA SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND PLT SHUT DOWN ENG. N1018H SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE, PLT TAXIED CLEAR. N127WA DRIFTED BACK INTO EAST SIDE OF DOCK, SUSTAINED FURTHER DAMAGE FROM WIND AND WAVE ACTION.
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 amateur-built DHC-2 final · quoted from the NTSB record
WIND WAS 070 DEGREES AT 20 KTS WITH 6-12 INCH SWEELS. N127WA WAS POSITIONED AT NORTH SIDE OF DOCK FOR DEPARTURE TOWARD EAST. N1018H WAS HOLDING AT EAST SIDE OF DOCK. DECK HAND CAST OFF N127WA BEFORE PLT STARTED ENGINE; ACFT BEGAN TO DRIFT BACK INTO DOCK. PLT STARTED ENG, ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER AWAY FROM DOCK, BUT DOCK PROXIMITY PROHIBITED USE OF SUFFICIENT POWER TO ESTABLISH STEERAGEWAY UNDER EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS. N127WA DRIFTED AROUND NORTHEAST CORNER OF DOCK AND INTO N1018H. N127WA SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND PLT SHUT DOWN ENG. N1018H SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE, PLT TAXIED CLEAR. N127WA DRIFTED BACK INTO EAST SIDE OF DOCK, SUSTAINED FURTHER DAMAGE FROM WIND AND WAVE ACTION.
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 amateur-built DHC-2 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 2,700 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,763 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,850 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Temsco Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: KTN Ketchikan AK
- Destination: MTM Metlakatla AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
The factual record for the amateur-built DHC-2 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 217 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,150 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: West Flight Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KTN Ketchikan AK at 4:00 pm
- Destination: MTM Metlakatla AK
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA86LA049.