Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chickaloon, Alaska 99674
Friday, June 13, 2003 20:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot waited on a gravel airstrip for a thunderstorm and associated rain to pass before attempting to takeoff. In a telephone interview the day after the accident, the pilot said that during the takeoff roll, the winds were calm, but during the initial climb, the airplane encountered a downdraft and descended, touching down on a sandbar in a river adjacent to the airstrip. The airplane started to climb again, but was forced down by another downdraft. The airplane touched down on another sandbar, and after a third attempt to climb, was forced down into the river, where it nosed over. In a subsequent written statement, the pilot wrote "in retrospect, it appears there was a mysterious loss of power." He further noted in his written statement "that two witnesses stated there was little or no wind, and that the airplane sounded like a normally powered takeoff, but the sound quickly dwindled, as if the throttle was pulled back to abort the takeoff."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power during the takeoff initial climb for an undetermined reason, which resulted in an in-flight collision with water.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/13/2003
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone --
Event City Chickaloon
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99674
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 614500N
Event Location Longitude 1474500W
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
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
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 --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14136
NTSB Notification Source FAA Anchorage, ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 14 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Anchorage FSDO-03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4062H
NTSB Number ANC03LA060
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Longren
Aircraft Model Centaur L-13
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 47-2903
Certified Max Gross Weight 3550
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 30 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 756
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Bush Wings Air Service Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO Box 1222
Aircraft Owner City Chickaloon
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99674
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Ben Stevenson
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Chickaloon
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99674
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 --
Departure City Chickaloon
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Chickaloon
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Aug 12 2003 7:10PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
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 --