Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salem, Oregon 97303
Sunday, July 31, 1994 15:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE FLOAT PLANE STATED THAT WHILE EN ROUTE, HE WAS MAKING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS ON A RIVER. A LANDING WAS MADE AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE AREA OF A FERRY TERMINAL, WHICH HAD SWIMMERS AND BOATING NEARBY. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO STEP TAXI THE FLOAT PLANE THROUGH THE AREA. JUST PAST THE FERRY TERMINAL, THE FLOAT PLANE HIT A CANOE WITH 2 ADULTS AND 2 CHILDREN THAT WAS MOVING PARALLEL WITH THE RIVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE NEVER SAW THE CANOE, AND THAT WHEN HE FELT A BUMP, HE THOUGHT THAT A FLOAT HAD COLLIDED WITH A ROCK. THE 2 ADULTS IN THE BOAT WERE FATALLY INJURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE OCCUPIED CANOE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION AND EXCESSIVE TAXI SPEED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1550
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SALEM
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97303
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1552 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 154
Weather Observation Facility ID SLE
Elevation of weather observation facility 210
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 2
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 9
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1624
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2368M
NTSB Number SEA94FA199
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-12
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-12
Aircraft Serial Number 12-1500
Certified Max Gross Weight 1858
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 23 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 3183
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVIDSON, BEN W.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 763 CESSNA ST.
Aircraft Owner City INDEPENDENCE
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97351
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVIDSON, BEN W.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 763 CESSNA ST
Operator City INDEPENDENCE
Operator State OR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 97351
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City NEWBERG
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City INDEPENDENCE
Destination State OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --