Birch Lake Seaplane Base Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Deerwood, Minnesota 56444
Saturday, July 22, 2000 17:13 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was damaged during an inflight collision with trees and the water during initial climb following a water takeoff after a touch and go. The pilot said that he had decided to perform a touch and go. He stated that after the takeoff, as he "... approached the S.E. [southeast] shore [he] was indicating less RPM and no climb. Too late [he] turned left along the shoreline and [k]new the trough to go through on the north. Only, in a very few feet it [the airplane] was settling not holding my own. A quick decision to try another left turn, but too slow, too low and no place to go.... Hit left rudder nose down and spun it in from 30 feet." The pilot also stated that after examining the wreckage, he found that the carburetor heat "...cable had bent in a "V", so the carb [carburetor] heat stayed on."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the open carburetor heat air box resulting in a loss of engine power, the diminished climb rate and the altitude/clearance not possible by the pilot. Factors were the trees and the bent carburetor heat push-pull rod.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/22/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1713
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DEERWOOD
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56444
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 BIRCH LAKE SEAPLANE BASE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID M69
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 1278
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 273
Weather Observation Facility ID BRD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1226
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 71
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 56
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2100
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10540
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 23 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2001 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N41SF
NTSB Number CHI00LA220
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Floroski
Aircraft Model ANDERSON KINGFISHER
Aircraft Series Identifier ANDERSON K
Aircraft Serial Number 158
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALLAN W. FRASER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3685 SIXES RD.
Aircraft Owner City PRINCE FREDRICK
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20678
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GERALD L. SETHNEY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 27465 WAFFENSMITH RD.
Operator City DEERWOOD
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 56444
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code M69
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Sep 1 2001 4:00AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --