Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Scotts Seaplane Base Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Crane Lake, Minnesota 55725
Sunday, August 5, 2001 15:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The floatplane sustained substantial damage on impact with water during takeoff. The pilot reported that he sustained no injury. He reported that one of his passengers was uninjured and the other passenger sustained serious injuries. The pilot reported, "After refueling we taxied to east end of lake ... West wind at est. 12 knots. Prior to takeoff checklist completed controls tested free and correct. After aircraft on step and flying speed attained (60 kts) the right float was raised and slight back pressure we were airborne. On attempting to move control wheel to the right to level the a/c, the control wheel was jammed. I immediately suspected that the rf seat passengers knee was beneath the right side of the control wheel preventing return to neutral position. I shouted to him to move his knee but the control wheel remained jammed. The a/c continued in a left bank reaching est. altitude of 30 to 50 feet above the water. The left bank increased and we began to loose altitude despite full power. The aircraft impacted the water in approx. a 40 [degree] bank (lt) and 45 [degree] nose down attitude. We completed approx. 180 [degree] turn from our takeoff heading. ... After liftoff this happened very quickly. Probably in less than 10 or 15 seconds." The passenger stated, "I heard the pilot say '[the passenger's name], your knee' twice. I immediately looked down at my left knee and witnessed the left side of the control wheel situated against the inner aspect of the knee, but not appearing obstructed from movement. It never occurred to me to look at the right knee. ... I honestly do not know what precisely caused the accident. I never asked the pilot if he witnessed my knee blocking the control wheel. ... The absence of any bruising or abrasion on or about the knee/upper leg makes me suspect my knees weren't the cause as well." The recorded wind was 200 degrees at 5 knots. FAA examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact anomalies.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The inadvertant control interference by the passenger's knee leading to the pilot's directional control of the floatplane not being possible.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/5/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1500 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Crane Lake |
| Event State | MINNESOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 55725 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Scotts Seaplane Base |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CDD |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 0 |
| Airport Elevation | 1119 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1458 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CDD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1119 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 33 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.84 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12947 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 6 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 120 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 18 2003 4:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Minneapolis, MN, FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2904Q |
| NTSB Number | CHI01LA258 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | A185F |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 03541 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3350 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 1 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 74.5 |
| Airframe Hours | 3143.4 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Richard L.Dobbs |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5828 N. Pike Lake Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Duluth |
| Aircraft Owner State | MN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 55811 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| 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 | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | CDD |
| Departure City | Crane Lake |
| Departure State | MN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1500 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Pike Lake |
| Destination State | MN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Other |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 6 2003 11:00AM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |