Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sitka, Alaska 99835
Thursday, August 7, 2003 13:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

In a telephone interview 4 days after the accident, the commercial certificated pilot reported that he was attempting to takeoff from a small, remote lake in his float-equipped airplane. During the takeoff run in calm wind conditions, he determined that the airplane would not become airborne prior to reaching the shoreline. He elected to abort the takeoff, but could not stop the airplane prior to colliding with the shoreline. In a written statement dated 7 days after the accident, the pilot wrote, "I performed a step turn and didn't like the way it felt so I cut the power and skidded up on a rocky beach." The airplane received structural damage to the lower right fuselage longeron adjacent to the right rear float attachment fitting, and the left outboard wing rib. Three months after the accident, the pilot telephoned the NTSB investigator-in-charge and indicated that he had placed the airplane in a tight step-turn during the takeoff attempt, and it was during the step-turn that he heard a loud "pop" and felt the airplane shudder. He said he immediately reduced the engine power to idle, and due to the airplane being in a tight turn at the time, he lost directional control and the airplane collided with the shore. The pilot said it was possible that the right rear float attachment fitting, or possibly the "flying wire" cable from the right float to the fuselage had separated preimpact, and that was the noise he heard.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's delay in aborting the takeoff, which resulted in a collision with the shoreline during an aborted takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/7/2003
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone --
Event City Sitka
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99835
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 562500N
Event Location Longitude 1345000W
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 Not pertinent
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 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) 20
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 --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14697
NTSB Notification Source FAA, ANC ROC
NTSB Notification Date Aug 9 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2119
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 5 2004 4:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Juneau

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N113N
NTSB Number ANC03LA104
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 Aviat
Aircraft Model A-1A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1422
Certified Max Gross Weight 2079
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 25 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 493
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Jay J. Linhart
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Sitka
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99835
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Sitka
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code A29
Destination City Sitka
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - aborted
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 21 2003 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --