Lake Hood Seaplane Base Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Monday, September 23, 1996 17:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The aircraft (acft) took off from Lake Hood Seaplane Base with 5 occupants aboard. Witnesses said that after lift-off, flaps were retracted & acft pitched to a climb attitude; but stopped climbing & began settling, then struck a utility pole at the airport boundary. It then crashed on a road, & a fire erupted. Calculations showed acft was within allowable weight & balance parameters. Engine exam revealed brass throttle arm (PN 632555-23) was worn & had disconnected from the throttle linkage. It had disconnected where a hard steel bushing (with splines) had been installed (pressed) in a mounting hole in the relatively soft throttle arm. The mounting hole had become 'U' shaped with one side open. The opening was large enough to allow passage of the throttle linkage connecting bolt & bushing. Deposits of material from the throttle arm were found on the bushing splines. The deposits were consistent with rotational motion of the bushing within the mounting hole, as if rotation occurred while tightening the bolt. Teledyne Continental Service Bulletin SB95-2, dated 4/21/95, provided inspection & lubrication procedures for throttle linkages at each 100 hr, progressive, and/or annual inspection. Acft had been flown 80 hrs since its previous (annual) inspection on 8/11/96.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

improper installation of a connecting bolt in the throttle linkage, which resulted in a worn/disconnected throttle arm, partial loss of engine power, and a forced landing after takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/1996
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone --
Event City ANCHORAGE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99502
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKE HOOD SEAPLANE BASE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LHD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 350
Airport Elevation 100
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 99
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1915
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 23 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1720
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:20AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7312C
NTSB Number ANC96FA162
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 206G
Aircraft Series Identifier 206G
Aircraft Serial Number U20603872
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 11 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 2066
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEARNS AIR ALASKA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4101 FLOATPLANE DRIVE LK. HOOD
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99502
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 UGJC
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LHD
Departure City
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
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 Emergency landing
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 27
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --