Ketchikan Seaplane Base Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ketchikan, Alaska 99901
Saturday, December 14, 1991 13:01 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE HAD JUST TAKEN OFF BEHIND ANOTHER AIRPLANE, BOTH WITH A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER REACHING ABOUT 350 FEET AGL, BECAUSE OF THE LOW CLOUDS, HE BEGAN TO LOSE SIGHT OF THE OTHER AIRPLANE. WHEN HE REDUCED POWER TO STOP THE CLIMB, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. HE ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE A STEEP 180 DEGREE DESCENDING TURN FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING INTO THE WIND. THE AIRPLANE HIT THE WATER IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE BEFORE THE TURN WAS COMPLETED. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND WITH THE ENGINE OR AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN INADVERTENT STALL WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. FACTORS INCLUDE A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND INADEQUATE ALTITUDE FOR THE MANEUVER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/14/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1301
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City KETCHIKAN
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99901
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport KETCHIKAN SEAPLANE BASE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5KE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1257 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID KTN
Elevation of weather observation facility 100
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 1
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2186
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47396
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:53AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2212T
NTSB Number ANC92LA019
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 185
Aircraft Series Identifier 185
Aircraft Serial Number 185-1364
Certified Max Gross Weight 3320
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 10 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 77
Airframe Hours 7184
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GERALD O'BRIEN SALAZAR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1600 AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING
Aircraft Owner City KETCHIKAN
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GERALD O'BRIEN SALAZAR
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1600 AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING
Operator City KETCHIKAN
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99901
Operator Code EKQA
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1301
Departure Time Zone AST
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 10000
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --