Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coal Lake, Alaska
Saturday, September 5, 1987 15:23 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE AIRPLANE STATED THAT HE HAD STEP-TAXIED TO THE EAST END OF THE LAKE IN PREPARATION FOR A TAKEOFF TO THE WEST. DURING THE TAKE OFF RUN, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE WAKE HE HAD JUST CREATED AND BECAME PREMATURELY AIRBORNE. HE REDUCED POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE A FULL STALL LANDING, BUT STRUCK THE WATER HARD AND WAS THROWN FORWARD. AS HE WAS THROWN FORWARD, HE INADVERTEDLY PUSHED THE THROTTLE TO MAXIMUM. THE AIRPLANE SLEWED SIDEWAYS AND TURNED INVERTED. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ESCAPED WITHOUT DIFFICULTY, BUT THE PILOT HAD TO DIVE UNDER THE AIRPLANE AND CUT THE OTHER TWO PASSENGERS FROM THEIR RETRAINTS. ONE OF THESE PASSENGERS LATER DIED FROM HER INJURIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1523
Event Time Zone --
Event City COAL LAKE
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 890
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 5 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34187
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N39450
NTSB Number ANC87FA140
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LAKE
Aircraft Model LA-4-200
Aircraft Series Identifier LA-4-200
Aircraft Serial Number 540
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 Apr 16 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN A STEEBY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 670001
Aircraft Owner City CHULSIAK
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99567
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN A. STEEBY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 670001
Operator City CHUGIAK
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99567
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 COAL LAKE
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1523
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code Z15
Destination City BIRCHWOOD
Destination State AK
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 --