Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Platinum, Alaska 99651
Sunday, July 3, 2005 19:45 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The commercial certificated pilot was departing a remote beach on a Title 14, CFR Part 91 positioning flight. The pilot had previously landed on the beach and encountered soft terrain. The airplane nosed over and sustained a broken propeller blade. The pilot replaced the propeller and then departed on the accident flight. After liftoff, the airplane climbed to about 50 feet, the engine power suddenly decreased, and the airplane began to descend. The pilot said his only emergency landing area was in the water to avoid an area of rocks. He indicated that the airplane stall/mushed into the water adjacent to the beach and nosed over. After the collision, the pilot exited the airplane and made it to the beach. The pilot said that the only portion of the airplane visible above the water was the main landing gear and tires.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during takeoff initial climb from a remote beach, which resulted in a ditching and subsequent nose over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/3/2005
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1945
Event Time Zone --
Event City Platinum
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99651
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 583309N
Event Location Longitude 1614607W
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 --
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 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 225
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) --
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) 18870
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Jul 3 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2006 7:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2245T
NTSB Number ANC05LA100
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PZL Warzawa-Okecie
Aircraft Model 104 Wilga 80
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number CF20890879
Certified Max Gross Weight 3087
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Jul 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1560
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Michael Renfro
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Bethel
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99559
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Renfro Alaskan Adventures Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 872
Operator City Bethel
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99559
Operator Code R59C
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Platinum
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1945
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PABE
Destination City Bethel
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 26 2005 2:12PM
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 --