De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter

Operator:

Ptarmigan Airways

Registration:

C-FWAB

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

349

YOM:

1973

Location:

Thistle Lake

Northwest Territories

Country:

Canada

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

The crew just departed Thistle Lake after delivering cargo for local mine workers. Just after liftoff, while climbing to a height of about 10 feet, the aircraft banked right and struck the rotor of a parked Bell 206. Out of control, it crashed few dozen meters further, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed.

Probable cause:

The reason of the loss of control could not be determined.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 200 off Contadora Island: 20 killed

Date & Time: Apr 18, 1990

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N187SA

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Panama City – Contadora – San Miguel

MSN:

131

YOM:

1968

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After takeoff from Contadora Island Airport, while climbing, the aircraft collided with a flock of birds. Some birds struck the right engine that failed. The aircraft lost speed then rolled to the right and crashed in the sea some 1,500 meters offshore. Two passengers were rescued while 20 other occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

Failure of the right engine and subsequent loss of control during initial climb following a bird strike.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 off Værøy: 5 killed

Date & Time: Apr 12, 1990 at 1444 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

LN-BNS

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

Værøy – Bodø

MSN:

536

YOM:

1977

Flight number:

WF839

Location:

Værøy (Lofoten Islands)

Nordland

Country:

Norway

Region:

Europe

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

5534

Captain / Total hours on type:

1269.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

1370

Copilot / Total hours on type:

354

Aircraft flight hours:

27304

Aircraft flight cycles:

58709

Circumstances:

Less than two minutes after takeoff from Værøy Airport runway 25, while climbing in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft banked left then entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the sea in a near vertical attitude about 1,8 km from the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all five occupants were killed. When the crew started to roll at the airport, the wind was gusting to 57 knots which was 7 knots above the maximum allowable limit for ground operations. After takeoff, the aircraft encountered wind gusting to 34 knots which was 14 knots above the maximum allowable limit for flight operations. Excessive wind component caused the stabilizers/elevator to fail, causing the aircraft to enter an uncontrolled descent and to crash in the sea.

Probable cause:

The cause of the accident was that the plane during departure came into the wind that exceeded the aircraft's design criteria. Thus there was a break in the horizontal stabilizer / elevator which meant that the plane could no longer be controlled.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 off Utila

Date & Time: Apr 4, 1990

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

HR-ALH

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Lake, Sea, Ocean, River

Schedule:

La Ceiba – Útila

MSN:

180

YOM:

1968

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

On final approach to Útila Airport runway 25, the crew was blinded by the low sun position and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient. The aircraft struck the water surface and crashed in the sea about 50 meters offshore and less than 300 meters short of runway 25 threshold. All 20 occupants were evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Labuan Bajo

Date & Time: Apr 3, 1990

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

PK-NUQ

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Labuan Bajo – Denpasar

MSN:

488

YOM:

1976

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After liftoff from Labuan Bajo-Mutiara Airport, while in initial climb, the left engine oversped. The crew elected to make an emergency landing when the aircraft struck rocks then crashed in a ravine. All 17 occupants were injured.

Probable cause:

Loss of control during initial climb after the left engine oversped for unknown reasons.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Al Gora

Date & Time: Nov 8, 1989

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

786/F-RAVV

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Military

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

786

YOM:

1982

Location:

Country:

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances while engaged in a mission on behalf of the Multinational Force Observers (MFO) based in Al Gora. There were no casualties.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Molokai: 20 killed

Date & Time: Oct 28, 1989 at 1837 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N707PV

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Kahului - Molokai

MSN:

400

YOM:

1973

Flight number:

WP1712

Location:

Molokai

Hawaii

Country:

United States of America

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Captain / Total flying hours:

3542

Captain / Total hours on type:

1668.00

Copilot / Total flying hours:

425

Copilot / Total hours on type:

189

Aircraft flight hours:

19875

Aircraft flight cycles:

30139

Circumstances:

De Havilland DHC-6, N707PV (Aloha Islandair flight 1712), collided with mountainous/hilly terrain near Halawa Bay, HI, while en route on a scheduled passenger flight at night from Maui to Molokai, HI. Impact occurred at an elevation of about 500 feet, shortly after the aircraft had descended over water, then crossed the shoreline. There was evidence that the captain had made a navigational error and mistakenly believed that he was circumnavigating the northern portion of Molokai Island. The aircraft crashed while on a heading that was parallel with the island's northern shoreline. Low clouds obscured the mountain tops in the area of the accident. There was also evidence of inadequate supervision of personnel, training and operations by Aloha Islandair management and insufficient oversight of Aloha Islandair by the FAA during a period of Aloha Islandair's rapid operational expansion. All 20 occupants were killed.

Probable cause:

The airplane's controlled flight into terrain as a result of the decision of the captain to continue flight under visual flight rules at night into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), which obscured rising mountainous terrain. Contributing to the accident was: the inadequate supervision of personnel, training, and operations by aloha islandair management and insufficient oversight of Aloha Islandair by the Federal Aviation Administration particularly during a period of rapid operational expansion.

Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Kangiqsujuaq

Date & Time: Oct 26, 1989 at 1126 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

C-GBJE

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Kangiqsualujjuaq (Wakeham Bay)

Schedule:

Quaqtaq - Kangiqsujuaq

MSN:

566

YOM:

1978

Location:

Quebec

Country:

Canada

Region:

Crew on board:

Crew fatalities:

Pax on board:

Pax fatalities:

Other fatalities:

Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

After touchdown, the crew lost control of the airplane that veered off runway, struck a ditch and came to rest. All 13 occupants evacuated safely while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Probable cause:

It was determined that the loss of control upon touchdown was the consequence of strong crosswinds.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Vista Liner 300 in Grand Canyon: 10 killed

Date & Time: Sep 27, 1989 at 0953 LT

Type of aircraft:

Operator:

Registration:

N75GC

Flight Phase:

Charter/Taxi (Non Scheduled Revenue Flight)

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Grand Canyon - Grand Canyon

MSN:

439

YOM:

1974

Flight number:

YR05

Location:

Grand Canyon

Arizona

Country:

United States of America

Region: