Amateur-built DHC-6-300 accident near San Celmente, California, August 11, 2025
On August 11, 2025 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 1971 amateur-built DHC-6-300, registered N344CS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near San Celmente, California (San Clemente Island Nalf airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 18 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2025 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Celmente, California · San Clemente Island Nalf · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 18 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-6-300, built 1971
- Registration
- N344CS · registry record · serial 334
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 11, 2025, at 1130 Pacific daylight time, a De Havilland DHC-6-300, N344CS, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at San Clemente Island, California. The 2 pilots and 16 passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Code of Federal Regulations Title 14 Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. According to the operator, the flight was uneventful until approximately 10 seconds prior to touchdown. About 15-20 ft above ground level and an airspeed of about 95 knots, the airplane began to yaw hard to the left and pitched nose down. The left wing struck the runway and the first officer, who was the pilot flying, banked to the right and the airplane touched down hard onto the runway. Upon touchdown, the captain took control of the airplane and tried to maintain directional control by using nosewheel steering, however, the airplane turned left and exited the runway surface. The airplane came to rest upright, the flight crew shut the engines down, and the occupants egressed from the airplane. About 1/3 of the outboard portion of the left wing and about 1/2 of the left aileron had separated. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the No. 1 (left) engine propeller beta ring was fragmented, with multiple pieces of the beta ring contained within the engine cowling. The airplane and the recovered beta ring fragments were retained for further examination.
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 in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35,700 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 8, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 14,000 lb
- Seats: 22
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Rampart Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KNZY Nas North Island CA at 5:46 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 06/2, 9,301 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Observation at 10:56 am from KNUC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 16 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
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.