De Havilland DHC-2 Safety Record

The failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other airplane. Contributing to the accident were (1) the PA-12 pilot’s decision to fly with a known severe vision deficiency that had resulted in denial of his most recent application for medical certification and (2) the Federal Aviation Administration’s absence of a requirement for airborne traffic advisory systems with aural alerting among operators who carry passengers for hire.

The inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid concept, which prevented the two pilots from seeing the other airplane before the collision, and the absence of visual and aural alerts from both airplanes’ traffic display systems, while operating in a geographic area with a high concentration of air tour activity. Contributing to the accident were (1) the Federal Aviation Administration’s provision of new transceivers that lacked alerting capability to Capstone Program operators without adequately mitigating the increased risk associated with the consequent loss of the previously available alerting capability and (2) the absence of a requirement for airborne traffic advisory systems with aural alerting among operators who carry passengers for hire.

Impact with terrain for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was not recovered due to the inaccessible nature of the accident site.

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during departure climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to load the airplane beyond its allowable gross weight and center of gravity limits, coupled with his lack of operational experience in the airplane make, model, and configuration.

The pilot's failure to retract the landing gear wheels prior to performing a water landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's disabling of the landing gear warning/advisory system and possible fatigue due to his work schedule.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for gusty wind conditions during the final approach to land, which resulted in the airplane colliding with terrain. A factor contributing to the accident was the gusty wind.

An inadvertent aerodynamic stall resulting from the pilot's poor decision-making and inadequate planning and execution when he took off toward nearby rising terrain, in strong winds, under circumstances where his options for maneuvering were severely limited and where his safety margin was, thus, insufficient.

The pilot's decision to continue under visual flight rules into an area of instrument metrological conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, and the FAA's inadequate surveillance of the commercial air tour operator.

The improper installation/reversal of the aileron flight control system by other maintenance personnel, and the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a loss of control during takeoff initial climb.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering to reverse direction, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and an uncontrolled descent. Factors associated with the accident were the inadvertent stall and wind gusts.

The pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an in-flight collision with mountainous terrain. A factor associated with the accident was a low cloud ceiling.

The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff at his predetermined reference point, which resulted in a collision with the shore during takeoff-initial climb, and structural damage to the airplane.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while step taxiing a float-equipped airplane, which resulted in a collision with an embankment. A factor contributing to the accident was an unfavorable wind.

The pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions, and his selection of unsuitable terrain (rough water) for takeoff, which resulted in a collision with ocean swells during takeoff initial climb, and a hard emergency landing and a roll over. Factors contributing to the accident were a windshear, rough water, and buckling of the float assemblies when the airplane struck the waves.

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for taxi after landing, which resulted in the collapse of the main landing gear and structural damage to the right wing and forward fuselage. A factor associated with the accident was the rough and uneven terrain.

Aerodynamic flutter of the ailerons during normal cruise flight due to their improper maintenance/balancing, which resulted in structural damage to the airplane's wings.