No fatalities

Tailwheel Aircraft Noses Over During Aborted Takeoff on Soft Tundra

Arctic Village, AK, United States

On September 3, 2015, a DEHAVILLAND BEAVER DHC 2 MK.1 MARKI operated by Bushwhacker Air Service was involved in an aviation accident near Arctic Village, AK. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's selection of an unsuitable, off-airport site, which resulted in a nose over. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot aborted takeoff from a rough, uneven tundra site when the aircraft failed to gain airspeed; the main wheels sank into soft ground, causing the airplane to nose over and sustain substantial wing damage.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that during departure from a rough and uneven tundra-covered off-airport site, the tailwheel-equipped airplane failed to gain sufficient airspeed, prompting an aborted takeoff. The airplane's main wheels sunk into the soft tundra-covered terrain, and the airplane subsequently nosed over. The wings sustained substantial damage.

Mechanical Condition

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Pilot Recommendation

In the recommendation section of the accident reporting form, the pilot noted that the accident may have been prevented if he would have selected a more suitable off-airport site.

Contributing factors

Causes

Pilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcomeDecision related to condition