Tau Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tau Antarctica
Friday, June 17, 1988 10:36 HST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CAPTAIN, WHO WAS FLYING THE TWIN OTTER FROM THE RIGHT SEAT, ENTERED A RIGHT HAND TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR LANDING. A LEFT QUARTERING, 15 KNOT HEADWIND, WAS GUSTING ACROSS THE AIRPORT. UPON TURNING TO THE FINAL APPROACH THE CAPTAIN REDUCED THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE POWER TO THE LOW SPEED RANGE FOR THE VISUAL APPROACH. AS THE AIRCRAFT NEARED THE RUNWAY THE RATE OF DESCENT ACCELERATED. THE CAPTAIN'S APPLICATION OF FULL ENGINE POWER FAILED TO ARREST THE AIRCRAFT'S RATE OF DESCENT AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/17/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1036
Event Time Zone Hawaii Standard Time
Event City TAU
Event State --
Event Country ANTARCTICA
Zipcode of the event site 96799
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TAU
Event Location Nearest Airport ID H136
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 185
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 15
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 16
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2197
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 17 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38788
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:50AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N202RH
NTSB Number LAX88LA226
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-6-100
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-6-100
Aircraft Serial Number 68
Certified Max Gross Weight 12300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 16
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 18403
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JACK WALL ACFT SALES, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX AMF 30247
Aircraft Owner City MEMPHIS
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38130
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SOMOA AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 28
Operator City PAGO PAGO
Operator State OF
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 96799
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PPG
Departure City PAGO PAGO
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 945
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 2200
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --