Dehavilland DHC-6 accident near Louisburg, North Carolina, September 6, 2015
On September 6, 2015 at about 7:40 pm local time, a 1968 Dehavilland DHC-6, registered N181CS, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Louisburg, North Carolina (North Raleigh airport). It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The propeller’s movement to the beta position during landing for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination and testing, which resulted in an attempted go-around and subsequent loss of airplane control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2015 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Louisburg, North Carolina · North Raleigh · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland DHC-6 200, built 1968 · all DHC-6s on the register
- Registration
- N181CS · registry record · serial 181
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot was conducting a cross-country aerial observation flight in the multiengine airplane. The pilot reported that the airplane was on the final leg of the traffic pattern when he reduced the power levers for landing and noticed that the right engine sounded like the propeller was moving toward the beta position. The pilot increased the engine power, and the sound stopped. As the airplane got closer to the runway, he decreased the engine power, and the sound returned. In addition, the airplane began to yaw right. The pilot applied left aileron and rudder inputs to remain above the runway centerline without success. While over the runway, the pilot reduced the engine power to idle, and the airplane continued to yaw right. The pilot applied full power in an attempt to perform a go-around; however, the airplane yawed about 30 degrees off the runway centerline, touched down in the grass, and impacted trees before coming to rest. The right wing, right engine, and right propeller assembly were impact-separated. The right engine propeller came to rest about 50 ft forward of the main wreckage, and it was found in the feathered position. A review of maintenance records revealed that the right propeller had been overhauled and reinstalled on the airplane 2 days before the accident and had operated 9 hours since that time. Subsequent testing of the right propeller governor revealed that it functioned without anomaly; however, the speed settings were improperly configured. Further, the testing revealed that the beta valve travel from the neutral position was out of tolerance. Although this could have let oil pressure port to one side of the spool or the other and, thus, changed the propeller blade angle, it could not be determined whether this occurred during the accident landing. Impact damage precluded examination of the right propeller governor control linkage; therefore, it could not be determined if it was inadequately installed or rigged, which could have resulted in the propeller moving into the beta position. The investigation could not determine why the right propeller moved toward the beta position as engine power was reduced, as reported the pilot.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller feather/reversing › Malfunction
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,337 hours in all; 1,058 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 6,415 as pilot in command; 1,359 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 22, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,187 hours in all; 1,180 in this make and model; 132 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 2,980 as pilot in command; 10 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 30, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 26,915.4 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 3, 2015; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,579 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-27 (turboprop); 28,036 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-27 (turboprop); 25,299 hours total
- Operator: Rampart Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: AFJ Washington PA at 1:15 pm
- Destination: 00NC Louisburg NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 2,650 ft by 36 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from LHZ, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA15LA343.