Sand Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Anchorage, Alaska 99502
Monday, May 22, 1989 15:53 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM A 3,500' LAKE AT GROSS WEIGHT IN A FLOAT EQUIPPED CESSNA 180 AIRPLANE. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO BECOME AIRBORNE ON THE FIRST TAKE OFF ATTEMPT. HIS SECOND ATTEMPT WAS SUCCESSFUL, BUT HE BECAME AIRBORNE LATE IN THE TAKE OFF RUN AND COLLIDED WITH TREES ON THE SHORE LINE, NARROWLY MISSING TWO HOUSES. THE PILOT WAS NOT RATED FOR, AND HAD TAKEN NO FORMAL INSTRUCTION IN, SEAPLANE OPERATIONS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. A LOCAL PILOT/WITNESS SAID THAT HE WATCHED THE TAKE OFF AND SAW WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS OBVIOUSLY POOR TECHNIQUE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S POOR JUDGEMENT, AND HIS LACK OF INITIAL TRAINING (NONE) IN SEAPLANE OPERATIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/22/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1553
Event Time Zone --
Event City ANCHORAGE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99502
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SAND LAKE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 230
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 305
Weather Observation Facility ID ANC
Elevation of weather observation facility 144
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
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) 90
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 546
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 22 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1557
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39950
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9949N
NTSB Number ANC89FA075
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 180J
Aircraft Series Identifier 180J
Aircraft Serial Number 18052604
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 18 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 5898
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COLSON, KEVIN A
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1212 W. 5TH AVE.
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COLSON, KEVIN A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1212 W 5TH AVE.
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99501
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1553
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 10:35AM
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 --