Tromsø – Harstad
Flight / Schedule
Tromsø – Harstad
Aircraft
De Havilland DHC-3 OtterRegistration
LN-FAE
MSN
18
Year of Manufacture
1953
Operator
Wideroe - Wideroe's FlyveselskapDate
March 28, 1968 at 12:00 AM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Crash Location
Rossfjordstraumen Troms
Region
Europe • Norway
Coordinates
69.3630°, 18.3145°
Crash Cause
Human factor
Narrative Report
On March 28, 1968 at 12:00 AM, Tromsø – Harstad experienced a crash involving De Havilland DHC-3 Otter, operated by Wideroe - Wideroe's Flyveselskap, with the event recorded near Rossfjordstraumen Troms.
The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.
5 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 5 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.
Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 4, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is human factor. The aircraft on amphibious floats departed from Tromso at 1015 hours for a scheduled flight to Harstad. In addition to the pilot, a company mechanic was on board as an assistant and there were three passengers. The weather was not good, with low cloud, heavy snow showers and reduced visibility. Due to the conditions, the pilot elected to divert from the track laid out in the company's route manual. This change of route however was not reported to air traffic control because of poor radio coverage at low altitude. This is a very rugged coastal area with numerous fjords and inlets amidst mountains rising to four thousand feet. As the Otter flew in on the west side of Rossfjord, some 45 kilometres south-west of Tromso, visibility dropped and the pilot said to his assistant “We'll cut across here, I know this area” and started a right turn. Eye witness reports put the aircraft at this time at between 100 feet and 25 feet above the ice-covered fjord, although the pilot was later to claim he was flying at 500 feet. Immediately after starting the turn, the right wingtip and float made contact with the ground. The aircraft was thrown to the left at the first impact and crashed at a 35 degree angle to its direction of travel. It caught fire and was burnt to destruction. All five occupants survived the crash but one passenger and the pilot's assistant suffered severe burns and were flown by helicopter to hospital in Tromso. Source: https://www.dhc-3archive.com
Aircraft reference details include registration LN-FAE, MSN 18, year of manufacture 1953.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 69.3630°, 18.3145°.
Fatalities
Total
0
Crew
0
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
The aircraft on amphibious floats departed from Tromso at 1015 hours for a scheduled flight to Harstad. In addition to the pilot, a company mechanic was on board as an assistant and there were three passengers. The weather was not good, with low cloud, heavy snow showers and reduced visibility. Due to the conditions, the pilot elected to divert from the track laid out in the company's route manual. This change of route however was not reported to air traffic control because of poor radio coverage at low altitude. This is a very rugged coastal area with numerous fjords and inlets amidst mountains rising to four thousand feet. As the Otter flew in on the west side of Rossfjord, some 45 kilometres south-west of Tromso, visibility dropped and the pilot said to his assistant “We'll cut across here, I know this area” and started a right turn. Eye witness reports put the aircraft at this time at between 100 feet and 25 feet above the ice-covered fjord, although the pilot was later to claim he was flying at 500 feet. Immediately after starting the turn, the right wingtip and float made contact with the ground. The aircraft was thrown to the left at the first impact and crashed at a 35 degree angle to its direction of travel. It caught fire and was burnt to destruction. All five occupants survived the crash but one passenger and the pilot's assistant suffered severe burns and were flown by helicopter to hospital in Tromso. Source: https://www.dhc-3archive.com
Cause: Human factor
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
4
Estimated Survivors
5
Fatality Rate
0.0%
Known people on board: 5
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Tromsø – Harstad
Operator
Wideroe - Wideroe's FlyveselskapFlight Type
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Flight Phase
Flight
Crash Site
Plain, Valley
Region / Country
Europe • Norway
Aircraft Details
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