Dehavilland DHC-6-300 accident near Boulder City, Nevada, November 15, 2024
On November 15, 2024 at about 5:03 pm local time, a 1977 Dehavilland DHC-6-300, registered N241SA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Boulder City, Nevada (Boulder City Muni airport). It was an other work-use flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 16 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
A loss of directional control during the landing roll in gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2024 · about 5:03 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder City, Nevada · Boulder City Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 16 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland DHC-6-300, built 1977 · all DHC-6-300s on the register
- Registration
- N241SA · registry record · serial 556
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The crew of the Part 135 sightseeing flight was returning from a tour when they encountered strong, gusting crosswinds during the landing approach at velocities approaching the airplane’s maximum demonstrated crosswind component (a value which the airplane’s flight manual stated is not considered limiting). The crew elected to continue the approach and land on the airport’s longest and widest runway. The captain, who was the pilot flying, configured the airplane with reduced flaps in accordance with the manufacturer’s crosswind landing recommendations. Both pilots stated that the approach and touchdown were stable and on the centerline; however, shortly after touchdown, a gust or shift in wind direction caused the airplane to veer left. Despite the captain’s corrective control inputs, the airplane departed the runway and struck a runway distance marker, resulting in substantial structural damage. Examination revealed no mechanical anomalies with the flight controls or brakes; neither the crew nor passengers were injured. Review of recorded weather information indicated that the wind conditions encountered during landing were slightly higher than forecast and higher than that reported during departure. Weather at nearby airports showed even higher wind velocities, which would have resulted in comparable or greater crosswind components for their runways. Given that all nearby airports were affected by similar conditions, a diversion was unlikely to provide improved landing conditions.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Ability to respond/compensate
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,089 hours in all; 307 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 2,004 as pilot in command; 1,440 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 10, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,150 hours in all; 583 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 395 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 13, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 61,757.6 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 15, 2024; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-27 (turboprop); 37,749 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt And Whitney PT6A-27 (turboprop); 40,526 hours total
- Operator: Grand Canyon Airlines, Inc.
The flight
- Runway 09/2, 5,103 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 23 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 am from KBVU
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBVU 151655Z AUTO 22023G28KT 10SM CLR 14/M01 A2970 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 14 |
Other NTSB records under N241SA 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 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 WPR25LA038.