Amateur-built DHC6 accident near Boulder City, Nevada, March 6, 2020
On March 6, 2020 at about 6:15 pm local time, a 1969 amateur-built DHC6, registered N72GC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Boulder City, Nevada (Boulder City airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The trainee pilot's loss of directional control during landing and his subsequent unintentional control interference with the brakes and/or rudder during the trainer pilot's attempted remedial action, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2020 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder City, Nevada · Boulder City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC6 300, built 1969
- Registration
- N72GC · no longer on the register · serial 264
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
An operator's pilot was conducting training for a newly hired pilot for a first officer position in the twin-engine airplane. After accomplishing air work, the pilots returned to the airport to practice landings and takeoffs. According to both pilots, the first approach was normal, and the airplane touched down slightly right of the runway centerline. The trainee pilot stated that, after touchdown, the airplane began drifting further right and that he was unable to correct the deviation. The trainer pilot reported that, when directional control became unstable, he told the trainee, "I have the controls." The trainer pilot saw that the trainee pilot released his hands from the engine power levers and the yoke, but the airplane continued to deviate to the right, contrary to his control inputs and his addition of asymmetric power to the engines. The trainer pilot realized that, based on his inputs, the airplane should have returned to the centerline but that it did not and that it was behaving as if the trainee pilot was applying some braking. At that point, the trainer pilot again told the trainee pilot to release the controls, and he used the brakes, which he reported applied and released normally. Subsequently, the airplane exited the right side of the runway and impacted a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The trainer pilot and the operator reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The trainer pilot reported that he believed the trainee pilot's feet were either on the brakes or interfered with his brake and/or rudder application attempts. The trainee pilot reported that he could not recall the position of his feet after he relinquished airplane control to the trainer 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Rudder control system › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,500 hours in all; 20,000 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 18,500 as pilot in command; 8,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 22, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 583 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 539 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 26, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 50,964 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 25, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Grand Canyon Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: BVU Boulder City NV at 5:05 pm
- Destination: BVU Boulder City NV
- Runway 27, 4,803 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from BVU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on May 19, 2020. 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 - Operator | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Training Pilot | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Pilottrainee | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Metars | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Record of Communication - Training Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Record of Communication - Pilot Trainee | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Record of Communications - Bvu Operations | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Flight Operations Irregularity Report | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 9 | FAA Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Kbvu Photographs | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Training Pilot Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N72GC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
1999-05-25ANC99LA064 · accident near Anchorage, AK · substantial damage · no injuries
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.