What happened
Two aircraft operated by the same company, a float-equipped de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver and a float-equipped de Havilland DHC-3 Turbine Otter, collided in midair while traveling to the same remote destination. The collision occurred over an area consisting of fjords and coastal channels.
The pilot of the DHC-2 Beaver reported that his aircraft was the first of three company planes to depart. After climbing out of Class E airspace, he switched to a common traffic advisory frequency. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, while cruising in level flight at about 2,000 feet above the water, the pilot felt a sudden thump and a pronounced shudder in the airframe. He then observed the top of the left wing of the aircraft to his left, positioned just below the Beaver's floats.
The pilot of the DHC-3 Turbine Otter stated that his aircraft departed approximately five minutes after the Beaver and proceeded on a northerly heading while climbing to 2,200 feet. After switching to the common traffic advisory frequency, a passenger in the rear of the aircraft shouted "airplane." Two seconds later, the pilot heard a loud scraping sound on the top of the plane.
Following the impact, the Turbine Otter performed a left, descending turn away from the Beaver. The pilot of the Turbine Otter experienced initial difficulty controlling the aircraft but was able to regain partial control and subsequently performed an emergency landing in the ocean waters within the channel. The Beaver sustained minor damage to its floats, while the Turbine Otter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and the top portion of the wings.