# Accident 20230711008779A: Dehavilland DHC-2, Mccarthy, AK, July 11, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 11, 2023, 18:30 local time
- Place: Mccarthy, AK
- Airport: Nizina Lake Landing Zone
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: WM9C
- Location: 61.4420° N, 142.8961° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.4420&lon=-142.8961&mi=10
- Aircraft: N814DW, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N814DW) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Dehavilland DHC-2 (registry code 2808001, https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series (registry code 52008, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DEHAVILLAND DHC-2
- Reported engine: P&W R-985 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 9,379 total, 1,009 in this make and model, 91 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC23LA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23LA052) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230711008779A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JULY 11, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 1830 AKDT A DHC-2 BEAVER OPERATING UNDER FAR PART 135 ON DEMAND TOOK OFF FROM MCCARTHY 15Z AND FLEW ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND LANDED AT NIZINA LAKE BACK COUNTRY STRIP THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 1500 FEET IN LENGTH. ACCORDING TO THE PIC, THE DEPARTURE AND ENROUTE WAS WIITHOUT EVENT. ON LANDING, THE PILOT REPORTED THE DE HAVILLAND BEAVER DHC-2 PEDALS FELT NORMAL PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. BECAUSE OF THE DEEP GRAVEL THE PILOT LANDED TAIL LOW. WHEN THE PIC ATTEMPTED TO USE THE BRAKE PORTION OF THE RUDDER PEDAL AFTER TOUCH DOWN, IT WAS IMMEDIATELY APPEARANT THAT THE BRAKE HAD FAILED. AS SOON AS THE PILOT APPLIED BRAKES, HE IMMEDIATELY NOTED THE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT BRAKE AND THE AIRCRAFT QUICKLY VEERED OFF THE LEFT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT FROM CONTINUING TOWARDS AN EMBANKMENT WITH TREES. BECAUSE OF RIGHT BRAKE FAILURE, THE PIC COULD NOT REGAIN CONTROL AND HIT A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SPIN TO THE LEFT AND FALL DOWN AN ESTIMATED 10 FOOT EMBANKMENT CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING, FUSELAGE AND TAILWHEEL. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR PASSENGER SEATED IN THE FRONT SEATS WERE REPORTED TO HAVE SUSTAINED INJURES. THE BRAKE CALIPER CAME DETACHED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER THE INCIDENT, THE MISSING BRAKE CALIPER AND ASSOCIATED PARTS OF THE RIGHT BRAKE WERE LOCATED ABOUT 200 FEET FROM WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS STOPPED. THE LOCATION OF WHERE THE CALIPER WAS LOCATED IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CALIPER FAILING AFTER THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ANC23LA052](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23LA052), Jul 12, 2023: Dehavilland DHC-2 (N814DW), McCarthy, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: A failure of the right brake caliper bolts during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent impact with terrain.

## Other reports on N814DW (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20140801015519I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140801015519I), Aug 1, 2014: Dehavilland DHC-2 (N814DW), Mcarthy, AK, Minor damage. PIC was maneuvering aircraft on ground after landing and struck small spruce tree with left wingtip. Minor damage in the form of a small dent in the leading…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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