Port Johnson – Ketchikan

On December 12, 1996 at 09:05 AM, Port Johnson – Ketchikan experienced a crash involving De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver, operated by Taquan Air, with the event recorded near Port Johnson Alaska.

The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

2 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 50.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 1, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. According to the passenger, he and the pilot had just taken off, and as they were climbing out over an open water portion of a bay, the pilot said, 'here comes a gust.' Reportedly, the pilot added engine power, and the airplane began descending. The right wing started to dip, and the nose started to drop. The pilot had the control yoke turned all the way to the left, then yelled that they were going in. The airplane crashed in the water, and the passenger exited the airplane through the windshield. He did not see the pilot. The deceased pilot was found still strapped in his seat several days later, when a portion of the wreckage was recovered.

Aircraft reference details include registration N67694, MSN 924, year of manufacture 1956.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 55.1381°, -131.9961°.