Dehavilland BEAVER DHC 2 accident near Kodiak, Alaska, January 24, 2018
On January 24, 2018 at about 9:20 pm local time, a 1958 Dehavilland BEAVER DHC 2, registered N1544, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Kodiak, Alaska. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 2018 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Kodiak, 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 NO SERIES, built 1958 · all BEAVER DHC 2s on the register
- Registration
- N1544 · registry record · serial 1230
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing at an unimproved airstrip after an on-demand flight. He stated that, after a normal touchdown, as he applied the brakes during the ground roll, the airplane "veered hard to the right." He added power in an attempt to gain control of the airplane. Subsequently, the airplane departed the airstrip to the right, traveled through bushes and trees, and came to rest against an embankment. The right wing came to rest against the terrain, and the right main landing gear separated from the gear box, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot further stated that before the accident flight, the brake system had been flushed and bled due to two brake failures earlier in the day. During the removal of the landing gear components for recovery of the airplane, the brake system was compromised, and no fluid was retained for testing for possible contamination.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,641 hours in all; 12,800 in this make and model; 141 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: May 29, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Andrew Airways INC
The flight
- Departed from: ADQ Kodiak AK
- Destination: Kodiak AK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 16 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 5°F (-15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PADQ, 22 miles away
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 N1544 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.