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Coast Guard Releases Names of Floatplane Accident Victims

Names of floatplane accident victims released, search for wreckage called off.

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Key Takeaways:

  • A Northwest Seaplanes floatplane crashed off Whidbey Island near Seattle, resulting in the presumed deaths of all 10 people aboard, including the pilot and one child.
  • The U.S. Coast Guard ceased its extensive search for survivors after more than 20 hours, recovering only some debris and one body, with the bulk of the wreckage still unfound.
  • Witnesses reported the aircraft diving straight into the water without a distress call, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation into the accident.
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The U.S. Coast Guard has released the names of the victims of Sunday’s floatplane accident off Whidbey Island near Seattle. The nine adults and one child are presumed dead. The pilot was Jason Winter. The nine passengers have been identified as Patricia Hicks, Sandra Williams, Lauren Hilty, Ross Mickel, Luke Ludwig, Rebecca Ludwig, Joanne Mera, Gabriella Hanna, and a child, Remy Mickel. They were aboard the 1967 de Havilland DHC-3 Turbine Otter that crashed in Mutiny Bay halfway between Friday Harbor and Renton. 

The search for survivors was called off at noon Monday. The bulk of the wreckage has not been located; however, some personal items believed to have come from the aircraft cabin and a 6-foot-by-18-inch piece of the fuselage with the aircraft tail number, N725TH, were recovered. The aircraft is registered to Northwest Seaplanes, a Part 135 charter and sightseeing company. 

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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