Dornier DO 328-100 accident near Portland, Oregon, August 3, 1995
On August 3, 1995 at about 10:27 pm local time, a Dornier DO 328-100, registered N335PH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portland, Oregon (Portland International airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 18 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
insufficiently defined information from the manufacturer and operator concerning the landing/taxi procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1995 · about 10:27 pm local time
- Place
- Portland, Oregon · Portland International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 18 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dornier DO 328-100
- Registration
- N335PH · registry record · serial 3013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after landing, aircraft (acft) began veering slightly left, & 1st officer (F/O, flying pilot) applied rudder for control, then captain (capt) assumed control of acft (above 60 kts). Capt realigned acft to runway centerline & called for condition levers (CL) to minimum (min) at about 60 to 70 kts. At this time, acft began to veer left again. Capt was unable to maintain directional control as acft veered sharply left. Right wing tip & right propeller contacted runway. Acft then collided with a runway sign before stopping partially off runway. Horizon Air procedures indicated CL were to be positioned to maximum (max) when main landing gear touched down. After landing, CL were to be positioned to min at the capt's discretion. With CL in max position, the flightcrew had up to 10 deg of nose-wheel steering through the rudder pedals. With CL in min range, 60 deg of nose-wheel steering authority was available through the tiller. Dornier 328-100 Airplane Operating Manual stated under Standard Landing Procedures that at a 'safe speed,' the CL should be retarded to the min position. Shortly after the accident, Horizon Air changed its landing procedures to state acft must be at taxi speed (below 30 kts) before capt commands CL to min. No mechanical failure/malfunction found.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,400 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,928 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 19, 1995; 191 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 30,071 lb
- Seats: 34
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W 119B (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Horizon Air
The flight
- Departed from: RDD Redding CA at 9:10 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 2, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:32 pm from PDX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 15 |
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.