Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ketchikan, Alaska 99901
Wednesday, August 13, 2003 19:00 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airline transport pilot was departing on an on-demand air taxi flight from a remote saltwater bay in a float-equipped airplane. He reported that just as the floats came on step, the floats contacted a large wave, which bounced the airplane about 15 feet into the air. As the airplane descended, a second wave struck the floats. The operator's maintenance personnel later discovered structural damage to longerons adjacent to the airplane's firewall, which required replacement. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's selection of an unsuitable takeoff area, which resulted in an in-flight collision with ocean waves. A factor associated with the accident was large waves/swells.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/2003
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone --
Event City Ketchikan
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99901
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 552200N
Event Location Longitude 1314400W
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 Full
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 --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator --
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14383
NTSB Notification Source Juneau FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
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 --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N59352
NTSB Number ANC03CA114
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 206
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number U20603221
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Clifford S. Kamm
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O.Box 9172
Aircraft Owner City Ketchikan
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99901
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Clifford S. Kamm
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Ketchikan
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate --
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Ketchikan
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1815
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Ketchikan
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 15 2003 3:18PM
User who most recently changed record PETL
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --