GENERAL INFORMATION

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

Environmental/Operations Info

Pilot In Command

Event Remarks

ON MAY 6, 2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 2140Z/14:50 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME (MST), A DEHAVILLAND DHC-6-300, OPERATED UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 135 ON-DEMAND PASSENGER FLIGHT WITH 11 PASSENGERS AND 2 PILOTS EXPERIENCED A BRIEF ENCOUNTER WITH HAIL APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES SOUTH OF BOULDER CITY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KBVU). \n\nTHE FLIGHT DEPARTED GRAND CANYON BAR 10 RANCH (1Z1) AT 14:15 MST. AT APPROXIMATELY 14:50 MST, 7 MILES SOUTH OF KBVU DURING DESCENT FOR A STRAIGHT-IN LANDING ON RUNWAY 33 AT KBVU, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED HAIL THAT WAS REPORTED BY THE PILOTS TO HAVE LASTED 5-6 SECONDS IN DURATION.\n\nTHE TWO (2) CERTIFICATED PILOTS AND ELEVEN (11) PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.\n\nTHE WEATHER AT KBVU DURING THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA, VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) CONDITIONS WITH WIND REPORTED 090 DEGREES AT 9-10 KNOTS.\n\nTHE FAA LAS FSDO INVESTIGATION AND ON-SITE EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED HAIL IMPACT DAMAGE TO BOTH WING LEADING EDGES, LEADING EDGE OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND LEADING EDGE OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. THE INVESTIGATION ALSO FOUND EVIDENCE OF HAIL PUNCTURE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT NOSE RADOME AND POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE INNER PANE OF THE PILOT’S WINDSHIELD. THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS DETERMINED TO BE SUBSTANTIAL AND THE EVENT WAS CLASSIFIED AS AN ACCIDENT.\n\nTHE OPERATOR’S MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND DID NOT FIND ANY MECHANICAL ABNORMALITY THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT\n\nTHE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) AND SECOND-IN-COMMAND (SIC) PROVIDED SEPARATE ORAL AND WRITTEN STATEMENTS TO THE OPERATOR’S FLIGHT DEPARTMENT WHICH CONCUR WITH THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO AND DURING THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE HAIL.\n\nTHE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS AN INADVERTANT INFLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH HAIL.\n\nTHE OPERATOR PERFORMED AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION OF THE ACCIDENT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PILOT AND CO-PILOT DISCUSSED THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY APROXIMATELY 12 MINUTES FROM LANDING AT KBVU. THE PILOT-IIN-COMMAND (PIC) STATED THAT THEY WERE OBSERVING THE WEATHER VISUALLY AND DIGITALLY USING AWOS, IPAD RADAR, AND METAR INFORMATION. THE PIC STATED THAT HE BEGAN MANUEVERING SOUTH OF KBVU AND CONSIDERED DEVIATING TO HENDERSON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (KHND), BUT CONTINUED TO KBVU SINCE THE VISIBILITY WAS CLEARING. THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE HAIL OCCURRED IN CLEAR SKIES WHILE FLYING WESTBOUND AND PRIOR TO TURNING FINAL TO RUNWAY 33 AT KBVU. AFTER THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE HAIL, THE PIC DID NOT NOTICE ANY ADVERSE FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AT KBVU.\n\nON 5/22/2025, I DISCUSSED THE ACCIDENT AND ANY CORRECTIVE ACTIONS TO MITIGATE RE-OCCURENCE WITH THE OPERATOR’S DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS (DO). AFTER MY DISCUSION WITH THE DO I WAS SATISFIED WITH THE ATTENTION THE OPERATOR MADE TO THIS ACCIDENT AND THE LEVEL OF RISK MITIGATION TO PREVENT RE-OCCURRENCE. \n\n•\tTHE OPERATOR INTENDS TO INCREASE VIGILENCE IN WEATHER OBSERVATION BOTH ON GROUND AND IN AIR WHEN WEATHER MAY BE A FACTOR. \n•\tSUGGESTED WORKING WITH ATC FOR VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING WHEN WEATHER MAY BE A FACTOR.\n•\tENHANCE THEIR RISK ASSESSMENT MATRIX TO IDENTIFY AND INCLUDE ADDITIONAL RISK POSSIBILITIES, SUCH AS SPECIFIC WEATHER REPORTING (AIRMET, SIGMET, FREEZING LEVELS) AND SPECIFIC EQUIPMENT DIFFERENCES.\n\nTHIS ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION WILL BE CLOSED PER OPERATOR’S PROACTIVE OPERATIONAL MITIGATION TO PREVENT RE-OCCURRENCE.

END REPORT