De Havilland DHC 2 N501J

Summary

On 28 May 2019 at about 22:30 local time, a De Havilland DHC 2 registered N501J, operated by Diesel Acquisitions Llc, was involved in an accident near Hollister, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 May 2019 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Hollister, California, United States

Coordinates

37.0381, -121.1181

Aircraft

De Havilland DHC 2

Registration

N501J

Category

Airplane

Year built

2004

Engines

1

Operator

Diesel Acquisitions Llc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hollister → Hollister

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA108

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to retract the amphibious float's landing gear wheels before landing on the water. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to use the after takeoff and before landing checklists.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot in the amphibious float-equipped airplane reported that he intended to perform a water landing. On the downwind leg of the approach, he performed his prelanding checks from memory, and he confirmed that the three green landing gear safe lights were illuminated. However, he added that he "should have looked for blue lights." The pilot landed on the water with the landing gear wheels extended, and the airplane pitched forward and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, the empennage, and the windscreen. The pilot asserted that he "should have used a checklist once airborne. Both the after takeoff and before landing checks would have saved me from this event." The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.