Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Glennallen, Alaska 99588
Sunday, September 10, 1995 10:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of a float equipped Cessna 180A, N94259, was departing a remote lake after deplaning 2 hunters. Windy conditions from a nearby glacier produced choppy waves of about 3 to 4 feet high. The wind was estimated to be about 30 knots. During the takeoff run, the airplane floats received several hard impacts from the waves that were washing over the top of the floats. The pilot aborted the takeoff and taxied on the lake, looking for calmer conditions. The left float began to fill with water and the airplane rolled over. The airplane did not sink at that time. The pilot exited the airplane and climbed onto the inverted airplane floats. Later, the pilot of a Bell 206B, N84TA, attempted to rescue the Cessna pilot. While hovering near the downed plane, the helicopter went into a dynamic rollover and crashed, and the Cessna pilot received serious injuries. The Cessna 180 sank after the rescue. (See: ID ANC95TA166 for information concerning the helicopter accident.)

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's selection of an unsuitable area for takeoff. The water condition with large waves/swells was a related factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/10/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone --
Event City GLENNALLEN
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99588
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 30
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1649
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 10 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1635
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:34PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N94259
NTSB Number ANC95LA164
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180A
Aircraft Series Identifier 180A
Aircraft Serial Number 50032
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIRVENTURE ASSOCIATES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address HC1 BOX 2510
Aircraft Owner City GLENNALLEN
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99588
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code SOSC
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 --