6 fatal · De Havilland DHC-2 · 2019-05-13 · Ketchikan, AK, USA
Event
NTSB number
CEN19MA141
Event ID
20190514X70427
Type
Accident
Date
2019-05-13
Location
Ketchikan, AK, USA
Coordinates
55.425556, -131.505
Injuries
Highest injury
FATL
Fatal
6
Serious
9
Minor
1
Uninjured
0
Total aboard
16
Aircraft
Make
De Havilland
Model
DHC-2
Registration
N952DB
FAR Part
135
Engines
1
Damage
DEST
Conditions
Light
DAYL
Weather
VMC
Probable cause
The inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid concept, which prevented the two pilots from seeing the other airplane before the collision, and the absence of visual and aural alerts from both airplanes’ traffic display systems, while operating in a geographic area with a high concentration of air tour activity. Contributing to the accident were (1) the Federal Aviation Administration’s provision of new transceivers that lacked alerting capability to Capstone Program operators without adequately mitigating the increased risk associated with the consequent loss of the previously available alerting capability and (2) the absence of a requirement for airborne traffic advisory systems with aural alerting among operators who carry passengers for hire.