De Havilland DHC-2 N62873

Summary

On 19 April 1989 at about 21:15 local time, a De Havilland DHC-2 registered N62873, operated by Channel Flying Service, was involved in an accident near Pelican, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 April 1989 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Pelican, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

57.9510, -136.1103

Aircraft

De Havilland DHC-2

Registration

N62873

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Channel Flying Service

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Juneau → Pelican

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA89FA074

2 people died.

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CONSIDERED TO BE FACTORS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DRG A FLT FROM JUNEAU TO PELICAN, AK, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN APRX 12 MI EAST OF PELICAN WHILE CROSSING OVER CHICHAGOF ISLAND. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A VERTICAL ROCK WALL AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 1950 FT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS EVIDENT. ANOTHER PLT, WHO HAD PLANNED TO FLY THE SAME ROUTE ABOUT 1 HR & 45 MIN EARLIER, DECIDED TO FLY AROUND THE ISLAND DUE TO LOW CLOUDS, RAIN & FOG IN THE AREA. HE RPRTD THAT HE FLEW OVER ICY STRAITS RATHER THAN TAKE A MORE DIRECT ROUTE & THAT CEILINGS WERE ABOUT 2000 FT BROKEN WITH LOWER STRATUS IN THE VALLEYS. A HELICOPTER PLT SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO WORK IN MOUNTAIN PASSES IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACDNT DUE TO LOW CLOUDS, RAIN & FOG; HE ALSO SAID THE PASSES WERE 'SOCKED IN.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.