Willow Spb Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Willow, Alaska 99688
Saturday, May 31, 2014 11:15 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was conducting an approach to land on water in a float-equipped airplane. He said that, because of the high winds, he conducted the approach at a high airspeed. He stated that, when the airplane was about 50 feet above the surface, it encountered a strong wind shear, and the left wing dropped. The pilot noted that he had never before encountered such a violent wind shear during landing. The pilot applied full power and full aileron but the airplane struck the water with its left float and left side of the tail before he could get it completely level. The airplane bounced, and the pilot then landed without further incident. Examination of the airplane revealed damage to the left elevator and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's loss of control of the airplane during landing on water due to an encounter with wind shear, which resulted in the airplane's abnormal contact with the surface.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/2014
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1115
Event Time Zone --
Event City Willow
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99688
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 614449N
Event Location Longitude 1500334W
Event Location Airport WILLOW SPB
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2X2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 2
Airport Elevation 200
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1916 Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 125
Weather Observation Facility ID PAWS
Elevation of weather observation facility 354
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation UTC
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 30
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.82
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR PAWS 311916Z AUTO 22015G30KT 10SM 06/M01 A29
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 33517
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC - Anchorage
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 10 2014 5:26PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N602BC
NTSB Number ANC14CA032
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name FOUND ACFT CANADA INC
Aircraft Model FBA 2C2
Aircraft Series Identifier 2
Aircraft Serial Number 105
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 4
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2014 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1195
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name BAL INC DBA Willow Air
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City WILLOW
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 996880042
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Stevan Hugh White
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Willow
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99688
Operator Code W3LC
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number W3LC238I
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 No
Departure Airport Code AK90
Departure City WILLOW
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1050
Departure Time Zone AKD
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 2X2
Destination City Willow
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 10 2014 5:26PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13W
Runway Length 3600
Runway Width 400
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --