This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this writing will be corrected when/if the NTSB preliminary report is released.
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N709KA
- History of Flight:
On July 23, 2026, at about 1722 local time, a de Havilland Canada DHC-3T Vazar Turbine Otter, N709KA, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident in Sucia Island, Washington. The commercial pilot and ten passengers survived the accident. Three passengers sustained minor injuries, and one passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Kenmore Air Harbor LLC out of Kenmore, Washington, doing business Kenmore Air. Flight 140 was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 scheduled passenger flight from the Kenmore Air Seaplane Base (W55), Seattle, Washington, with an intended destination of Roche Harbor Airport (WA09), Roche Harbor, Washington.
According to flight-tracking history, on the day of the accident, at 0750, the airplane departed the Kenmore Air Passenger Terminal on a 4 hour sightseeing flight over the coast. At 1401, the airplane departed again on a flight to WA09. At 1452, the airplane flew a 7m flight to Friday Harbor Airport (KFHR), Friday Harbor, Washington. At 1512, the airplane departed on a flight to W55. The accident flight originated at 1633.
According to Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data, the airplane departed the W55 seaplane base and entered a climb to a cruise altitude of 500 ft over the coast. The flight appeared uneventful. At about 1713, the airplane initiated a left hand turn while maintaining its cruise altitude. At 1719, the airplane entered a descending right hand turn towards Sucia Island. The last ADS-B data point was recorded at -50 ft (baro). The airplane was at 55 knots with a reported 0 fpm vertical rate of climb. This data point was recorded about 375 ft short of the accident location (see figures).
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| Figure 1: ADS-B exchange track ran through Flysto |
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| Figure 2: Turn towards Sucia |
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| Figure 3: End of track |
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| Figure 4: End of track seen on Google Earth |
The FAA reported: "Aircraft crashed under unkn circumstances while landing near Sucia Island. A post impact fire consumed the aircraft."
According to the operator: "Based on available weather radar information, there was a weather system in the area at the time, and the pilot adjusted the flight path in response to that weather."
A witness located in Orcas, Washington (south of the accident site), reported lightning north of his location which was followed by very heavy rain a few minutes prior to the accident.
The initial landing sequence was captured on amateur video. The airplane appeared to be low and slow over the surface of the water, and the engine sounded like it was windmilling. The airplane entered a left bank and the left float bounced off the surface. The airplane landed again on the surface and continued out of view. An impact sound was heard about 4 seconds after the initial touch-down.
The occupants were able to self egress before a post crash fire ensued.
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| Figure 5: Various shots of airplane and final rest position. |
- Pilot Information:
Unknown.
- Airplane Information:
The accident aircraft, serial number 410, was manufactured in 1960. It was a single-engine, propeller-driven, high-wing, 11-seat (1 pilot seat and 10 passenger seats), STOL airplane. It was powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 engine that drove a three-bladed Hartzell propeller.
The original DHC-3 was powered by a single reciprocating radial engine. However, the accident aircraft was modified and powered by the turboprop engine in accordance with Vazar, Inc., supplemental type certificate. The type certificate for the DHC-3 is currently owned and maintained by Viking Air Limited, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada.
According to the operator, the accident aircraft was current on required inspections. The aircraft's maintenance records show its last 100-hour inspection was completed on June 25, 2026, and its last annual inspection was completed on January 26, 2026 (per operator statement.)
- Wreckage and Impact Information:
The airplane impacted the surface of the water with the left float, bounced, and landed back on the surface again and continued straight ahead until it impacted a rock face that was located on the shore. Both wings remained attached to the airframe and sustained impact damage. The tail was severed. The flaps appeared to be deployed. A fire started in the front section that consumed the entire airframe. All occupants were able to evacuate before the said fire.
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| Figure 6: Airplane as it came to rest before it was consumed by fire. |
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| Figure 7: Wreckage on fire. |
The fire destroyed the majority of the airframe. A portion of the left wing and the tail remained free of fire damage.
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| Figure 9: Final wreckage position after fire stopped, note scorch marks on rock. |
- Weather:
(1) Brief:
The nearest weather station, Orcas Island Airport (KORS), reported the following conditions at 1715: Winds 170 at 10 knots, gusting 17 knots, 10 miles visibility, an overcast ceiling at 12,000 ft AGL, temperature 19 °C, dewpoint 14 °C, and an altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of mercury, and at 1735: Winds 170 at 10 knots, gusting 20 knots, 2.5 miles visibility, rain, mist, few clouds at 200 ft AGL, an overcast ceiling at 3,600 ft AGL, a broken cloudlayer at 8,500 ft AGL, temperature 17 °C, dewpoint 15 °C, and an altimeter setting of 29.99 inches of mercury.
The local area forecast discussion reported that scattered thunderstorms will continue offshore in the coast and across the coastal waters, with the potential for additional developments in the afternoon.
Satellite imagery around the time of the accident showed the presence of thunderstorms in the area.
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| Figure 10: Flightradar24 track with weather overlay |
(2) METARs:
METAR KORS 232355Z AUTO 17012G20KT 10SM BKN120 20/14 A2998 RMK AO2
METAR KORS 240015Z AUTO 17010G17KT 10SM OVC120 19/14 A2998 RMK AO2 <<<
METAR KORS 240035Z AUTO 17010G20KT 2 1/2SM RA BR FEW002 SCT036 BKN085 17/15 A2999 RMK AO2 <<<
METAR KORS 240055Z AUTO 16007KT 4SM -RA BR FEW002 SCT035 BKN047 17/15 A2998 RMK AO2 P0007
Other nearby airports:
METAR KBLI 232353Z 18011G23KT 10SM FU CLR 20/14 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP164 T02000139 10217 20194 56000
METAR KBLI 240053Z 18009G20KT 10SM VCTS -RA FEW090 BKN110 21/14 A3000 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W RAB52 SLP164 P0000 T02060144
METAR CYYJ 240016Z 01004KT 30SM TS FEW050CB BKN110 BKN160 21/14 A2998 RMK CB1AC5AC1 CB SW SLP155 DENSITY ALT 700FT
METAR CYYJ 240035Z 01011KT 20SM -TSRA FEW050CB BKN100 20/15 A2995 RMK CB1AC6 CB SW MOVG W OCNL LTGIC PRESFR SLP144 DENSITY ALT 600FT
(3) Area Forecast Discussion:
466 FXUS66 KSEW 232209 AFDSEW Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Seattle WA 309 PM PDT Thu Jul 23 2026 .SYNOPSIS... Scattered thunderstorms continue offshore, with the potential for additional development this afternoon. An upper level trough offshore will then push inland over the weekend, bringing cooler temperatures to the area and additional chances of showers. Troughing will persist through early next week, allowing for temperatures to trend just below to near normal. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/... Satellite and radar continue to show scattered thunderstorms along portions of the Washington coast and across the coastal waters. These will continue to move to the north-northwest this afternoon. Additional development will be possible this afternoon, with the best chances being over the Cascades and Olympics. Showers and thunderstorm chances should ease tonight as the trough offshore beings to lift northward. Marine stratus will likely fill back in tonight, allowing for low temperatures to reach the mid 50s to near 60. Stratus should give way to mostly sunny skies on Friday, allowing for high temperatures to bump up a bit compared to today, reaching back into the low to mid 80s across the interior, with 70s elsewhere. The upper trough offshore finally traverses the area Friday night into Saturday, bringing stronger onshore flow and more clouds, as well as chances for showers along the coast and the mountains. This will also help to push high temperatures below normal, with high temperatures in the mid 70s. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/... Chances for showers will continue Saturday night into Sunday as another shortwave trough moves through the area. Temperatures on Sunday similar to Saturday, in the mid 70s. Looking forward into next week, upper level troughing remain the dominant influence across the area as several systems move down from the Gulf of Alaska. Some model solutions show the upper level high over the Four Corners region retrograding westward, which may allow highs to warm towards the end of the week, otherwise temperatures generally remain around climatological normals with mostly dry conditions after Monday. && .AVIATION... An upper level low will continue to spin offshore the Pacific Northwest tonight. This low has been responsible for bringing mid level moisture over western WA this afternoon- and showers and thunderstorms to portions of the coast and Olympic Peninsula. Thunderstorm chances will remain possible through the remainder of the afternoon, but will mainly remain confined to the Cascades, Olympics, and the coast. Latest guidance continues to suggest showers tapering between 00-03Z. Satellite this afternoon shows some low clouds lingering across the central and south Cascades and along the coast. Expect another strong push of onshore flow in the low levels to bring marine stratus inland to the Puget Sound terminals by 12Z Friday for another round of MVFR to localized IFR conditions. Expect conditions to gradually improve back to VFR for the interior terminals around 18Z Friday as stratus retreats back to the coast. Southwesterly winds will generally persist between 8-12 kts (with some gusts to 20 kt) across the interior terminals through this evening, before easing and becoming light and variable tonight around 06Z. KSEA...VFR conditions this afternoon with some FEW and SCT low to mid clouds. Expect another round of stratus to push into the terminal by 12Z Friday and lower conditions back to MVFR. West- southwesterly winds will persist at 8-12 kt through this evening, before easing and becoming light around 06Z. 14 && .MARINE... A low pressure system offshore will continue to bring chances of showers and thunderstorms to the coastal waters through this afternoon. Latest radar this afternoon shows a line of scattered thunderstorms currently moving northward across the central and northern coastal water zones. Gusty winds, lightning, reduced visibilities, and brief heavy downpours are likely within the vicinity of these storms. A low pressure system will remain offshore the Pacific Northwest on Friday, before tracking back into the area and dissipating on Saturday. Onshore flow will prevail over the next few days, with strongest winds expected to be along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Another low pressure system will track southward from Gulf of Alaska and will stall a frontal boundary offshore on Saturday before it moves inland on Sunday night. This may bring some small craft southerlies to portions of the area waters over the weekend. Another front will follow on Tuesday. Seas will generally range between 4-7 ft over the coastal waters on Friday. A brief uptick in seas to 6-8 ft will be possible on Saturday, before seas subside back to 4-6 ft again on Sunday. Seas will then persist within the 4 to 6 ft range into early next week. 14 && .FIRE WEATHER... The Red Flag Warning for lightning and gusty outflow winds continues as the thunderstorm chances will remain into this evening. There have been several reports so far of fire starts from yesterday`s lightning which number in the hundreds of flashes overland. Rainfall with the storms was sparse. Where it did fall, it was mostly just a few hundredths to less than a tenth of an inch. The strongest concentration of thunderstorms and heaviest rain was along the Cascades from the southern Lewis County border to the King - Snohomish County border with amounts ranging from about a quarter to six tenths of an inch. Overhead clouds and the onshore flow today has brought low clouds and stratus that is stubborn to burn off and hampering firefighters efforts to locate and attack the new fire starts. The cooler temperatures and higher humidities today will give way to warm and dry conditions Friday as the upper ridge expands over the area once again. This will be short lived as the low center off the coast makes its way over the region though dissipating in the process. the result will be cool temperatures and shower chances through the weekend into the first part of next week easing fire weather concerns. Additional thunderstorms are not likely but can`t be ruled out at this time. JBB && .SEW WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WA...Red Flag Warning until 10 PM PDT this evening for Black Hills and Southwest Interior Lowlands-Central Coastal Lowlands- East Portion of the Olympic Mountains-North Coastal Lowlands-North and Central Coastal Strip-West Portion of the Olympic Mountains-West Slopes of the Central Cascades Generally above 1500 Feet. PZ...Small Craft Advisory until 5 AM PDT Friday for Central U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-East Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca. && $$
- Additional Information:
According to the operator:
"Founded in 1946, Kenmore Air is the largest seaplane airline in the United States, flying over 90,000 passengers annually in its iconic de Havilland Beaver and Otter aircraft. In addition to providing scheduled flights to over 45 water-based destinations throughout the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, Kenmore Air's wheeled aircraft operation, Kenmore Air Express, offers scheduled service between Boeing Field and the San Juans aboard modern Cessna Caravan aircraft. In addition to their scheduled service, Kenmore Air and Kenmore Air Express offer charter service to many other destinations. For more information, please visit KenmoreAir.com."
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