Phoenix – Port Hardy – Prince Rupert – Gustavus

On June 8, 1989 at 12:00 AM, Phoenix – Port Hardy – Prince Rupert – Gustavus experienced a crash involving De Havilland DHC-3 Otter, operated by Private American, with the event recorded near Grenville Channel British Columbia.

The flight was categorized as delivery and the reported phase was flight at a lake, sea, ocean, river crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 2 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. The aircraft was on its way from Phoenix to Gustavus, AK, to be delivered to its new operator Glacier Bay Airways. On the leg from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, while cruising at an altitude of 4,000 feet, the engine exploded and oil spread on the windscreen. The crew ditched the aircraft in the Grenville Channel and was quickly rescued. The aircraft sank and was not recovered.

Aircraft reference details include registration N5323G, MSN 91, year of manufacture 1956.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 53.6562°, -129.7551°.