Accident Overview
On May 6, 2023, at approximately 1450 Pacific daylight time, a DeHavilland DHC-6-300, registration N142SA, was substantially damaged during an accident near Boulder City, Nevada. The aircraft was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 non-scheduled air taxi flight with 2 pilots and 11 passengers aboard; no injuries were reported.
Flight History
The pilot reported that the flight departed from Grand Canyon Bar Ten Airstrip (1Z1) in Whitmore, Arizona, en route to Boulder City Municipal Airport (BVU) under visual flight rules (VFR) weather conditions. While en route, the crew observed adverse weather along their intended path and diverted south, planning to land at Henderson Executive Airport (HND) in Henderson, Nevada if conditions worsened. The pilot stated that weather conditions improved east of BVU, and the aircraft turned toward the airport. Approximately 7 miles southeast of BVU, while maneuvering for weather, the airplane encountered brief light turbulence and hail that lasted about 5 to 6 seconds. Following the encounter, the aircraft landed at BVU without further incident.
Weather Conditions
A convective Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) 11W was valid on the day of the accident from 1355 to 1459, covering an area 20 miles southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. The SIGMET reported an isolated thunderstorm moving from 300° at 15 knots with cloud tops at approximately 33,000 feet. The valid time of the report extended to 1555.
Damage Inspection
Post-flight examination of the aircraft revealed substantial damage to both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the horizontal stabilizers.