Posted on 09/04/2022 8:35:25 PM PDT by BenLurkin
A float plane with eight adults and one child on board crashed on Sunday in a bay about 30 miles north of Seattle, Washington, according to the Coast Guard.
One deceased individual was recovered from the water while eight others were still unaccounted for.
The float plane was a 55-year-old de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter, according to Flightradar24. It took off from Friday Harbor and was in the air for 19 minutes before crashing.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Dang, RIP.
As of June 2019, there have been 118 incidents and accidents involving the DHC-3 resulting in 242 deaths.
that really doesn’t sound like that good of a safety record ...
Gravity is a tough mistress.
that really doesn’t sound like that good of a safety record ...
I think that has more to do with the types of environments these aircraft operate in than with the aircraft itself. These are aircraft that are mostly used to go into unimproved airstrips (for the non-float version) in very remote areas. A particular hazard with these types of operations is that remote areas like that often don’t have weather stations to provide weather observations.
that really doesn’t sound like that good of a safety record ...
That record spans almost 70 years. You have to remember, that plane operates in some of the most inhospitable terrain in the world.
It’s not just a good idea, it’s the law.
It’s not just a good idea, it’s the law.
I have flown several times in single-engine and twin-engine Otters as well as the old single engine Beaver. They are fine, tough aircraft but as already noted they fly in some of the worst conditions on Earth. If the pilot is good the plane does fine. If not, gravity wins.
Very sad. Everyone getting into a float plane is kind of expecting a little bit of adventure, or flying somewhere cool.
Prayers.
Do we have a tail number? Believe I saw one at an air show in Spokane this spring. The owner rebuilt it and typically took his family and grandkids around Washington state on weekends - I’m looking for a pic on my phone
“a 55-year-old de Havilland”
You can’t just take that back to the dealership for repairs.
When you consider that they’re primarily used as bush planes and the number that have been built those are not bad numbers.
CC
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.