Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

King Salmon, Alaska 99613
Wednesday, July 26, 2000 14:15 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was departing a river in a float equipped airplane. Two branches of another river were flowing from the right, into the main channel used by the pilot for departure. A left crosswind was blowing between 10 to 20 knots. During the takeoff run toward the north, the pilot began to lower the nose of the airplane to get 'on-step.' He raised the water rudders and the airplane veered to the left. He said the left crosswind, and strong river current from the right produced the left turn. He then aborted the takeoff. The airplane did not get airborne, and collided with trees along the left bank of the river in an area of shallow water.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/26/2000
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone --
Event City KING SALMON
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99613
Event Date Year 2000
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 Pilot
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 7200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3900
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 315
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 930
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AL-ANC-FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Aug 11 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 2 2001 1:47PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N444EF
NTSB Number ANC00LA098
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 de Havilland
Aircraft Model DHC-2
Aircraft Series Identifier DHC-2
Aircraft Serial Number 926
Certified Max Gross Weight 5100
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 8
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
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 KATMAI PRO SHOP INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 421
Aircraft Owner City KING SALMON
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99633
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KATMAI LODGE
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 K4PC
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1415
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code AKN
Destination City
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2002 3:59PM
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 --