History of Flight
On September 4, 2022, at about 1509 Pacific daylight time, a float-equipped de Havilland DHC-3 (Otter), registration N725TH, impacted the water in Mutiny Bay, Washington, near Freeland. The aircraft was destroyed in the impact and subsequently sank. The pilot and all nine passengers on board sustained fatal injuries.
The airplane was owned by Northwest Seaplanes, Inc., and operated by West Isle Air, doing business as Friday Harbor Seaplanes, as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 scheduled passenger flight. The flight departed from Friday Harbor Seaplane Base (W33), Friday Harbor, Washington, and was destined for Will Rogers Wiley Post Memorial Seaplane Base (W36) in Renton, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
Aircraft and Flight Details
The accident aircraft was a de Havilland DHC-3 Otter, a single-engine utility floatplane. The aircraft was equipped with floats and was configured for passenger transport. The operator, West Isle Air, operated the flight under Part 135 rules, which govern commuter and on-demand operations.
The flight originated from Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands and was en route to Renton, near Seattle. The accident location in Mutiny Bay is part of Puget Sound. No further details about the flight's progress or the moments leading up to the impact were provided in the source.
Aftermath
Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene. The aircraft was destroyed and sank after impacting the water. All ten occupants were fatally injured. The investigation into the accident was conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and other relevant agencies. No additional information regarding the cause or contributing factors was available from the source.