Introduction
On June 30, 2012, about 1400 Alaska daylight time, a De Havilland DHC-2 (Beaver) airplane, registration N63562, equipped with tailwheel and tundra tires, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over in water approximately 20 feet from the shore adjacent to the approach end of a gravel bar on the banks of the Noatak River, about 123 miles west of Bettles, Alaska. The pilot reported that the nose over occurred during taxi.
History of Flight
The airplane was operated by the pilot/owner as a visual flight rules personal flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The pilot did not immediately contact the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to report the accident. When contacted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge on July 17, 2012, the pilot provided information and subsequently completed a written statement dated July 23.
Accident Details
In his written statement, the pilot reported that he had parked the airplane the night before on a gravel bar. During the night, the rising river water submerged the airplane's main wheels and empennage. The following morning, while trying to taxi the airplane from the river, the pilot stated that “the tires were lurching, and the tail was underwater.” He increased engine power to lift the tail and applied heavy braking to control the airplane as he taxied downstream and downwind. The airplane then lurched forward again, the tail lifted as the propeller struck the water, and the airplane nosed over.
Wreckage and Impact
Photographs provided by a National Park Service (NPS) ranger who responded to the scene showed the airplane nosed over in shallow water on a heading that appeared aligned with the estimated approach path for landing on the adjacent gravel bar. The gravel bar landing site appeared long, wide, smooth, and covered with sand and small rocks. The airplane's rudder showed substantial damage. Photographs of the two-bladed propeller indicated that one blade had little damage and that the second blade had minor bending and little torsional twisting.
During a telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator on July 3, the NPS ranger reported seeing wheel tracks in the gravel under the shallow river water. The tracks, in line with the airplane's main landing gear, led up to the wreckage and appeared to come from a direction consistent with an approach to the gravel bar from over the river. The ranger added that, during his on-scene interview with the pilot, the pilot asked him not to notify the NTSB or the Federal Aviation Administration about the accident.