Amateur-built DHC-3 accident near Wrangell, Alaska, July 15, 1988
On July 15, 1988 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-3, registered N55CX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wrangell, Alaska. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 15, 1988 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wrangell, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-3
- Registration
- N55CX · registry record · serial 139
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT ATTEMPTED FLIGHT THROUGH A MOUNTAIN PASS IN THE PRESENCE OF LOW CLOUDS AND FOG. VISUAL GROUND REFERENCE WAS LOST AND THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SNOW BANK. PLT CITED PERSONAL AND COMPANY-INDUCED PRESSURES AS FACTORS. OPERATOR COMPLETED ACCIDENT REPORT.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,200 hours in all; 185 in the last 90 days; 92 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,300 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 5, 1988; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-1340 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Diamond Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: JMT Johnny Mtn at 4:20 pm
- Destination: WRG Wrangell AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.