NTSB Releases Preliminary Report on Otter Crash

Pilot was attempting to avoid bad weather, agency says.

Meg Godlewski

Friday, August 21, 2026 at 12:02 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

A Kenmore Air de Havilland DHC-3 Otter [Credit: Stephen Yeates]

Key Takeaways:

A de Havilland DHC-3 Otter floatplane crashed near Sucia Island, Washington, on July 23, while its pilot was attempting to avoid inclement weather and make an emergency landing.
During the landing attempt, the aircraft's left wing and pontoon impacted the water before it struck rocks, leading to serious injuries for the pilot and two passengers, and minor injuries for eight others.
The plane subsequently caught fire after passengers were evacuated, with the NTSB's preliminary report detailing the sequence of events.

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The pilot of the de Havilland DHC-3 Otter floatplane that crashed last month in Washington state was trying to avoid inclement weather, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The accident took place on July 23, around 5:20 p.m. local time near Eastsound. The aircraft, N709KA, was substantially damaged and the pilot and two passengers were seriously injured. Eight passengers sustained minor injuries in the crash. The airplane was operated by Kenmore Air as a Part 135 scheduled air taxi flight.