c/n 906

N68081 at Ketchikan, Alaska.
Photo: Lenn Bayliss © 1981

c/n 906

55-0687

N68081

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55-0687 US Army #1589. L-20 No.590. Command A-7. Delivered 21-Apr-1956. Built as L-20A and re-designated U-6A in 1962.

55-0687 Stored at MASDC., Davis Monthan AFB., AZ circa Dec-1971 with PCN UD***. Transferred to USAF inventory on 06-Jan-1972 with PCN (Product Control Number) HS054. Departed 22-Mar-1976.

Note: Purchased by Kenmore at the Davis Monthan auction sale on 29-Jan-1976 for $22,000US. Total hours 5,046.6 hours. Engine 6,546.6 hours. Sold on the basis of €œ"a reasonable potential for normal certification"€. Comment at sale: - oil cooler missing.

N68081 Kenmore-Air Harbor, Kenmore, WA. Regd 22-Mar-1976.

N68081 Tyee Airlines Inc., Ketchikan, AK. Regd 01-Oct-1976. Canx 27-Dec-2012.

Accident: Near Klawock, AK. 09-Dec-1982. At 12:36 the flight departed Ketchikan seaplane base with a special VFR clearance & at 12:40 reported clear of the control zone. The next & last transmission by the pilot was made to the company via fm radio at about 13:40. This report was issued in the vicinity of Happy Harbour (passing over Kasaan Island) & was the approximate mid-point of the flight to Craig. Witnesses reported seeing the aircraft flying south west over Twelve Mile Arm toward Hollis. Upon reaching Hollis the flight would be expected to turn west & cross inland over Prince of Wales Island until reaching the west shoreline & thence directly to Craig. There was a fog bank about 2 mi prior to Hollis in Twelve Mile Arm & the aircraft was observed to reverse course as the weather was approached & proceed north. The aircraft was lost from sight due to trees & rapidly up sloping terrain. An increase in engine sound was heard prior to the crash. Witnesses described the clouds as essentially broken with bases at about 1,000 ft over the water & obstructing the tops of some of the higher islands. The pilot and seven passengers received fatal injuries and the aircraft was destroyed. NTSB report SEA83AA028.

Destroyed

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