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msn 236
DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300
N76214
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 236

Series 300

CF-TAX • N774M

N76214

• Registration • Activity and details of Owner/Operator and other historical information

• CF-TAX de Havilland Canada Inc., Downsview, ON. Rolled out date 07-Jan-1969. First flight 07-Jan-1969.

• CF-TAX Ordered by Transair, but not delivered 22-Apr-1969.

• (CF-TAX) de Havilland Canada Inc., Downsview, ON, Re-painted 09-May-1969.

• N774M Intermountain Aviation, Marana, AZ. Delivered 22-May-1969.

• N774M Leased to Rocky Mountain Airways, Denver, CO. Regd Dec-1969.

• N774M Returned to Intermountain Aviation, Marana, AZ. Regd Apr-1970.

Note: Intermountain Aviation was a CIA operator.

• N774M Air America (Aviation & Inland Marine Rentals). Regd 25-Feb-1971.

• N774M Sold to Air America. Regd Apr-1972.

Air America Service history: The aircraft was initially leased from Aviation and Inland Marine Rentals Inc on 25-Feb-1971 and arrived at Udorn, Thailand in late April 71, where a Loran C navigation system and later an improved version of the LORAN was added. It was flown by Don Romes to Taiwan in May 71 for familiarization flights by Repunlic of China Air Force (RoCAF) pilots and assigned to contract AID- 439-713 for use out of Vientiane at least between 01 and 31-Jul-1971. Later in the summer of 1971, it was flown in the vicinity of Saravane and around the Bolovens doing low-level supply drops in the day and parachute insertion of commando raiders after dark, probably operating out of PS 44, a secret base 26 kms north of Pakse, where Taiwanese crews were living and trained to fly the Twin Otter on daylight supply drops. It was also used as an airborne relay link during a dusk raider insert near Dien Bien Phu on 25-Jul-1971. In Aug-1971, N774M was used in northern Laos, experimentallydropping Ryan paravanes loaded with supplies to raider units.

On 20-Oct-1971, a person walked into the left propeller of N774M at Wat Phu (L-107) and was instantly killed.

The aircraft was hit by ground fire at Ban Nongkin near Toong Set (LS-449) in Laos on 07-Dec-1971, damaging the fuselage and again on 08 Dec-1971, while in the drop zone near Pakse (L-11). On this occasion both engines flamed out within 5 minutes and the pilot made a dead stick landing at Pakse (L-11). The fuel line, the right wing and the flap were damaged. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service on 17-Dec-1971. Once again it was hit by ground fire in Laos on 24-De-1971, damaging the leading edges of both wings and on 25-Dec-1971 it was hit by ground fire for a fourth time over Laos, this time damaging the right flap and was again repaired. It suffered a heavy landing on 06 Feb-1972 at Bouam Long (LS-32), Laos when the right main landing gear collapsed, with resulting damage to the landing gear, the right engine, prop and wing. Once again it was repaired and it returned to service this time on 21February-1972. It was then sold to Air America, having previously been leased, on 22 Feb-1972 by Aviation and Inland Marine Rentals Inc., It immediately continued its relationship with ground fire with the lower fuel cell and the right engine nacelle being damaged at coordinates TG 7823, approximately 1 mile northwest of Sam Thong (LS-20) in Laos, on 23-Feb-1972. None of the personnel on board was injured. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service on 27-Feb-1972. In the meantime the registration procedure had been commenced on 02-Mar-1972 and the aircraft officially registered to Air America on 08-Mar-1972.

During a mission over a drop zone in Laos on 02-Jul-1972, it was hit by gun fire at coordinates WC 8524 near Khong Sedone (LS-289), damaging the fuel cell and the right rudder cable. On this occasion the AFD (B. Khouanxay) was injured losing two toes from his left foot. Once again the aircraft was repaired and returned to service on 11 Jul-1972. Three months later, on 21-Oct-1972. and on 26-Oct-1972 the aircraft flew in connection with two aborted wiretap missions.

On 04 Dec-1972, the aircraft attachment cable for static lines broke over a drop zone at coordinates TG 9027, northeast of Tha Tam Bleung (LS-72 ) and became entangled with AFD Somphane’s left foot which was injured. The aircraft returned to Vang Vieng (L-16) where Somphane was taken to hospital.

Some special flight permits for overload flights for special purpose missions were requested on 30-Jan-1973 but details are unknown. The aircraft was assigned to contract F04606-71-C-0002 for use out of Udorn at least between 01 Nov and 31 Dec-1973 and 01 Apr until 31-May-1974.

Air America sold the aircraft to Coastair (Coastal Air Services), of Washington DC., on 17 May 74 (Agreement of Sale) for $450,000.00 plus ferry charges; Bill of Sale dated 25-May-1974 The aircraft was registered in Jun-1974.

• N76214 Coastal Air Services, Washington, DC. Regd Jun-1974.

Accident 6 ml from Candor, NC, 13-Jul-1978. While on an US Army contract flight from Fort Bragg the aircraft hit a tree during a night landing and crashed in a cornfield at a private airstrip. Five persons killed. The aircraft written off. The wreck is reported to have been ferried to DHC, Downsview, in Dec-1978. Seen at Springfield, Calgary in 1994.

Removed from register Oct-1982

Latest update

• Revised Format and updated data added 23-Aug-2020 •

N774M of INTERMOUNTAIN.
Photo: Unknown photographer © Date unknown - Erik Johannesson Collection
N76214 - well what was left of it. Calgary - CYYC, Alberta.
Photo: John Kimberley © July 1979 - Erik Johannesson Collection