Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1 accident near Bettles, Alaska, July 15, 2022
On July 15, 2022 at about 9:25 pm local time, a 1957 Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1, registered N4040W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bettles, Alaska. It was a business flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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 failure to maintain control of the airplane during taxi operations on a riverbank with shallow water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2022 · about 9:25 pm local time
- Place
- Bettles, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1, built 1957 · all BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1s on the register
- Registration
- N4040W · registry record · serial 1147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after landing on a river with low water levels, the left float dug into the shallow water, and the airplane turned hard left into the riverbank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 70.9 in this make and model; 155 in the last 90 days; 65.5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 27, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,900 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt Whitney R-985-14B (piston); 7 hours total
- Operator: Jespersen Aircraft Services INC
The flight
- Departed from: PABT Bettles AK at 7:50 pm
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 12 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 1974.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:10 pm
Weather report (METAR): SA 15/07/2022 11:53-> METAR PABT 151153Z 03004KT 10SM FEW080 BKN100 12/04 A2974 RMK AO2 SLP075 T01170039 10161 20117 58005=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N4040W 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 ANC22LA056.