N449QX

On August 10, 2018 at 08:43 PM, N449QX experienced a crash involving De Havilland DHC-8-400 (Dash-8), operated by Alaska Airlines, with the event recorded near Ketron Island Washington.

The flight was categorized as illegal (smuggling) and the reported phase was flight at a plain, valley crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

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

The listed crash cause is human factor. On August 10, 2018, about 2043 Pacific daylight time, a De Havilland DHC-8-402, N449QX, was destroyed when it impacted trees on Ketron Island, near Steilacoom, WA. The noncertificated pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Horizon Air Industries, Inc,. and was being operated by the noncertificated pilot as an unauthorized flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the area at the time of the event, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Seattle, Washington, about 1932. Horizon Air personnel reported that the noncertificated pilot was employed as a ground service agent and had access to the airplanes on the ramp. The investigation of this event is being conducted under the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The NTSB provided requested technical assistance to the FBI, and any material generated by the NTSB is under the control of the FBI. The NTSB does not plan to issue an investigative report or open a public docket.

Aircraft reference details include registration N449QX, MSN 4410, year of manufacture 2012.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 47.1571°, -122.6336°.