Pilot of seaplane that crashed on Washington's Sucia Island reported bad weather

Paige Cornwell, The Seattle Times on Aug 19, 2026

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SEATTLE — Minutes before the July crash on Sucia Island, the pilot of a Kenmore Air seaplane with 10 passengers aboard radioed that bad weather would force an emergency landing, according to a National Transportation Safety Board report.

All 11 people aboard the de Havilland DHC-3 Otter survived when the plane landed on the water, then crashed into rocks in the marine state park. They escaped the aircraft before it caught fire as nearby boaters rushed to provide aid to the pilot and two passengers who were seriously injured and eight others who had minor injuries.

The preliminary report doesn’t directly identify a cause of the crash but does provide more details about why the plane made an emergency landing near Sucia Island. The NTSB issues preliminary reports about a month after aviation incidents.

The plane took off around 4:30 p.m. on July 23 from Lake Union in Seattle with scheduled stops at Roche Harbor and Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, according to the NTSB report. The plane flew east of Lopez, Decatur and Blakely islands and curved around Orcas Island and north of Sucia Island.

The pilot radioed Kenmore’s operations center and reported inclement weather, which prevented the plane from landing at Roche Harbor. Thunderstorms were moving through the area with 12-20 mph gusts, the National Weather Service said at the time. The pilot told the operator he planned to land at Sucia Island — which had multiple bays where he was authorized to land — and wait for the weather to improve.

The plane then made a hairpin turn and flew east toward Sucia Island. The plane began to land in Shallow Bay, and about 4 feet above the water, the left wing dropped, and the left wingtip and left pontoon float hit the water. The plane landed with both pontoon floats and hit rocks before a fire destroyed the fuselage.

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, Kenmore Air said it’s reviewing the report carefully and extended its sympathy for everyone affected by the crash.

“We are deeply sorry that this event occurred and for the impact it has had on everyone affected,” the company said. “Safety is our utmost priority in everything we do. We will continue to cooperate fully with the NTSB investigation as it continues.”