Hughes 369D and Cessna 185E mid-air collision near Ketchikan, Alaska, August 12, 1987
On August 12, 1987 at about 9:21 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Hughes 369D (N58318) and Cessna 185E (N73WS), were involved in a mid-air collision near Ketchikan, Alaska (Ketchikan Intl airport). 2 people were killed; 3 others were 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
- August 12, 1987 · about 9:21 pm local time
- Place
- Ketchikan, Alaska · Ketchikan Intl · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Hughes 369D · all 369Ds on the register
- Registration
- N58318 · no longer on the register · serial 590499D
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 185E · all 185Es on the register
- Registration
- N73WS · no longer on the register · serial 18501645
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Hughes 369D final · quoted from the NTSB record
N58318 (HUGHES 369, UNDER CONTRACT WITH US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY) WAS INBND FM SE TO LND AT KETCHIKAN-TEMSCO HELIPORT (6Z4) AS N73WS (CESSNA 185 AMPHIBIAN) WAS DEPG SE FM KETCHIKAN INTL ARPT (KTN). KTN & 6Z4 WERE LOCATED IN TONGASS NARROWS WITHMTNS NE & SW. RPRTD WX WAS: 500' SCT, 1100' BKN, 2200' OVC, VIS 5 MI WITH LGT RAIN & FOG, CIG RAGGED. FOR A VFR APCH TO 6Z4 (APRX 1-1/2 MI NORTH OF KTN ARPT), N58318 HAD TO GO UP THE NARROWS & OVR OR NR KTN. KTN HAD NO CTL TWR, BUT SUB- PART M OF FAR 93 REQD 2-WAY RDO COMM WITH KTN FSS, WHILE OPERG BLO 3000' & W/I 3 MI OF KTN. AT 1318:58, N58318 RPRTD AT GRAVINA PT (APRX 4 MI SE OF KTN) & THE FSS PROVIDED TRAFFIC ADZR. AT 1319:19, N73WS RPRTD INTENTIONS TO DEPART FROM KTN & WAS GIVEN A TRAFFIC ADZY, INCLUDING INFO CONCERNING N58318. N73WS DEPD KTN, USING PARALLEL TWY NEXT TO RWY 11, IAW LTROF AGREEMENT. NRLY 1 MI SE OF KTN, THE TWO COLLIDED AS N58318 WAS FLYING NEAR THE EXTDD CNTRLN OF RWY 11. N58318 CRASHEDIN WTR; N73WS RETURNED & CRASH LNDD AT KTN. FIVE ACFT IN VCNTY OF KTN; FAA DATA INDCD HVY TRAFFIC AT KTN FM MAY TO SEP.
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 Cessna 185E final · quoted from the NTSB record
N58318 (HUGHES 369, UNDER CONTRACT WITH US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY) WAS INBND FM SE TO LND AT KETCHIKAN-TEMSCO HELIPORT (6Z4) AS N73WS (CESSNA 185 AMPHIBIAN) WAS DEPG SE FM KETCHIKAN INTL ARPT (KTN). KTN & 6Z4 WERE LOCATED IN TONGASS NARROWS WITHMTNS NE & SW. RPRTD WX WAS: 500' SCT, 1100' BKN, 2200' OVC, VIS 5 MI WITH LGT RAIN & FOG, CIG RAGGED. FOR A VFR APCH TO 6Z4 (APRX 1-1/2 MI NORTH OF KTN ARPT), N58318 HAD TO GO UP THE NARROWS & OVR OR NR KTN. KTN HAD NO CTL TWR, BUT SUB- PART M OF FAR 93 REQD 2-WAY RDO COMM WITH KTN FSS, WHILE OPERG BLO 3000' & W/I 3 MI OF KTN. AT 1318:58, N58318 RPRTD AT GRAVINA PT (APRX 4 MI SE OF KTN) & THE FSS PROVIDED TRAFFIC ADZY. AT 1319:19, N73WS RPRTD INTENTIONS TO DEPART FROM KTN & WAS GIVEN A TRAFFIC ADZY, INCLUDING INFO CONCERNING N58318. N73WS DEPD KTN, USING PARALLEL TWY NEXT TO RWY 11, IAW LTROF AGREEMENT. NRLY 1 MI SE OF KTN, THE TWO COLLIDED AS N58318 WAS FLYING NEAR THE EXTDD CNTRLN OF RWY 11. N58318 CRASHEDIN WTR; N73WS RETURNED & CRASH LNDD AT KTN. FIVE ACFT IN VCNTY OF KTN; FAA DATA INDCD HVY TRAFFIC AT KTN FM MAY TO SEP.
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 Hughes 369D from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,800 hours in all; 4,700 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 6,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,910 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 29, 1987; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Annette Island AK
- Destination: Ketchikan AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 185E from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,239 hours in all; 12,203 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 19,689 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,111 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 27, 1987; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ketchikan Air Service
The flight
- Destination: Humpback Lake AK
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.