Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1 accident near Soldotna, Alaska, April 22, 2023
On April 22, 2023 at about 8:45 pm local time, a 1957 Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1, registered N454FU, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Soldotna, Alaska (Soldotna Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s selection of an unsuitable landing site, which resulted in the main landing gear wheels breaking through the snow and the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2023 · about 8:45 pm local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Soldotna, Alaska · Soldotna Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 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
- N454FU · registry record · serial 1193
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, to avoid excessive wear on the airplane’s Bushwheels, he decided to not land on the paved runway and instead he landed on the snow-covered gravel runway. During landing, the airplane decelerated rapidly as the main wheels touched down into the snow. The airplane subsequently nosed over sustaining substantial damage to the right-wing lift struts and rudder. The pilot reported no preimpact 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › (general) › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 167.3 hours in all; 42.1 in this make and model; 15.2 in the last 90 days; 9.8 in the last 30 days; 121.6 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 31, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,126.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 2022; 40.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W R-985 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt and Whitney R-985 AN14B (piston); 8,064 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Polly Creek AK at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25S, 2,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from PAEN, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): PAEN 222053Z 24007KT 10SM SCT100 05/M02 A2982 RMK AO2 SLP099 T00501022 56014
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 7, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photograph | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N454FU on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1 76 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Dehavilland 861 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W R-985 SERIES 1,593 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Pratt and Whitney R-985 AN14B 77 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Soldotna Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Alaska 5,930 since 1982 · 824 in the last ten years
- Alaska 9,145 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ANC23LA030.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.