# Accident 20250811011519A: Dehavilland DHC-6-300, San Clemente Is, CA, August 11, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 11, 2025, 11:30 local time
- Place: San Clemente Is, CA
- Airport: San Clemente Island Nalf
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: 3RAA
- Location: 33.0228° N, 118.5876° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0228&lon=-118.5876&mi=10
- Aircraft: N344CS, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N344CS) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Dehavilland DHC-6-300 (registry code 2802630, https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-6-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34 series (registry code 52143, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-34-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DEHAVILLAND DHC-6-300
- Reported engine: P & W PT6A-34
- People aboard: 18
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 5,125 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR25LA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA250) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250811011519A

## Narrative

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

BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT PROPELLERS WERE INSTALLED AFTER OVERHAUL, THE LOW PITCH BLADE ANGLES WERE ADJUSTED AND THE BETA RODS JAM NUTS WERE SAFETY WIRED IN ERROR. THE WRONGLY INSTALLED SAFETY WIRE INDUCED EXCESSIVE BETA RING RUN-OUT ON THE LEFT BETA RING WHICH CAUSED THE BETA RING TO BREAK IN FLIGHT. WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 24 AT SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND NAVAL AUXILIARY LANDING FIELD (NALF), APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 20 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, DURING THE TRANSITION FROM APPROACH TO FLARE, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A HARD LEFT YAW AND A NOSE-DOWN PITCH DUE TO THE BROKEN BETA RING. THE TWIN OTTER LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING ROLLOUT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST OFF THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING, RIGHT MAIN GEAR, AND LEFT PROPELLER PITCH MECHANISM. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED 2.4 FLIGHT HOURS AFTER THE PROPELLERS WERE INSTALLED ON THE AIRCRAFT.

## 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 WPR25LA250](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA250), Aug 11, 2025: De Havilland DHC-6-300 (N344CS), San Celmente, CA, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

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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