Douglas C-54/DC-4 accident near Pacific Ocean, Washington, December 24, 1986
On December 24, 1986 at about 2:00 am local time, a Douglas C-54/DC-4, registered N96361, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pacific Ocean, Washington. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- December 24, 1986 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Pacific Ocean, Washington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Douglas C-54/DC-4 · all C-54/DC-4s on the register
- Registration
- N96361 · no longer on the register · serial 90412
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPTD THAT HE DITCHED HIS DC-4 IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN ON THE EVENING OF DECEMBER 23 AFTER EXPERIENCING AN UNCONTROLLABLE NO. 3 ENG FIRE AT THE CONCLUSION OF A TNG FLT. THE DITCHING OCCURRED IN DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS WITH MINIMAL 10 FOOT SWELLS HAVING A PERIOD OF APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS AND THE ACRFT WAS REPTD TO HAVE REMAINED AFLOAT APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES AFTER THE DITCHING. ALTHOUGH THE FLT PENETRATED THE PACIFIC COASTAL ADIZ ON AT LEAST 2 OCCASIONS NO RADAR EVIDENCE CORROBORATED THE PENETRATIONS NOR WAS THERE ANY RECEIPT OF THE PLTS MAYDAY ON 121.5 MHZ. NO WRECKAGE HAS BEEN OBSERVED ALONG THE WASHINGTON SHORELINE SINCE THE EVENT. WX CONDTNS AT 1750 HRS PST WITHIN 20 MILES OF THE DITCHING WERE REPTD AS MEASURED 900 FOOT OVCST WITH 1.5 MILES VIS IN LIGHT RAIN AND FOG. SFC WINDS PREVAILED FROM THE SOUTHEAST YET THE TWO PLTS REPTDLY DRIFTED NORTHEAST COVERING A DISTANCE OF AT LEAST 14 NAUTICAL MILES VIA RAFT IN 16 HOURS. THE BOARD'S FINDINGS SURROUNDING THIS EVENT REMAIN UNDETERMINED.
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
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27,804 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 1, 1986; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 73,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-2000 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: West Coast Air Cargo
The flight
- Departed from: S88 Arlington WA
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from UIL, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.