Dehavilland BEAVER DHC 2 MK.1 accident near Arctic Village, Alaska, September 3, 2015
On September 3, 2015 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1952 Dehavilland BEAVER DHC 2 MK.1, registered N55WE, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Arctic Village, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of an unsuitable, off-airport site, which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2015 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Arctic Village, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland BEAVER DHC 2 MK.1 MARKI, built 1952 · all BEAVER DHC 2 MK.1s on the register
- Registration
- N55WE · registry record · serial 273
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while departing in a tailwheel-equipped airplane, from a rough and uneven tundra-covered off-airport site, it failed to gain sufficient airspeed, and he aborted the takeoff. The airplane's main wheels sunk into the soft tundra-covered terrain, and the airplane subsequently nosed over, sustaining substantial damage to the wings. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 3,400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,981.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 27, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 5,600 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 SERIES (piston); 4,407 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Arctic Village AK at 3:55 pm
- Destination: Arctic Village AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from PARC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N55WE the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC15CA075.