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19970409005461A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Bbavia 8GCBC · Tatitlek, AK · April 9, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 9, 1997 · 12:55 local
Place
Tatitlek, AK
Phase of flight
Unknown/Not Reported
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision
Midair collision, first aircraft
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N5025K
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC97FA051
Reported as
Bbavia 8GCBC
Reported engine
Lycoming O360C2E
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
9,850 total
N5025KRegistration cancelled Jan 26, 1999 · Bellanca 8GCBCS/N 28578Airframe modelBellanca 8GCBC

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Fish spotting collided in mid air with other fish spotting plane. Crashed into ocean. (.4) the two airplanes collided while engaged in fish spotting in a rural area of Alaska. The pilot and observer of the Cessna 185, N59AK, said they were cruising over water at 2,000 feet MSL in straight and level flight, about to exit a bay. They said they did not see the other airplane until an instant before impact, and that the Bellanca, N5025K, seemed to approach them from slightly below, and slightly to the right, or about their 1 o'clock position. The pilot related that he does not recall a conscious effort to avoid the collision, but that he probably `instinctively' pulled back on the wheel. The Bellanca fell nearly straight into the sea. The Cessna pilot said the right float was slashed by the Bellanca's propeller. A portion of the Bellanca's right wing fuel tank was found imbedded in the right float of the Cessna. Both airplanes have high wings. The pilot of the Cessna said the weather was clear and sunny, with reflected sunglare from the water and snow covered mountains.

As the FAA filed it

FISH SPOTTING COLLIDED IN MID AIR WITH OTHER FISH SPOTTING PLANE. CRASHED INTO OCEAN. (.4) THE TWO AIRPLANES COLLIDED WHILE ENGAGED IN FISH SPOTTING IN A RURAL AREA OF ALASKA. THE PILOT AND OBSERVER OF THE CESSNA 185, N59AK, SAID THEY WERE CRUISING OVER WATER AT 2,000 FEET MSL IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT, ABOUT TO EXIT A BAY. THEY SAID THEY DID NOT SEE THE OTHER AIRPLANE UNTIL AN INSTANT BEFORE IMPACT, AND THAT THE BELLANCA, N5025K, SEEMED TO APPROACH THEM FROM SLIGHTLY BELOW, AND SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT, OR ABOUT THEIR 1 O'CLOCK POSITION. THE PILOT RELATED THAT HE DOES NOT RECALL A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO AVOID THE COLLISION, BUT THAT HE PROBABLY `INSTINCTIVELY' PULLED BACK ON THE WHEEL. THE BELLANCA FELL NEARLY STRAIGHT INTO THE SEA. THE CESSNA PILOT SAID THE RIGHT FLOAT WAS SLASHED BY THE BELLANCA'S PROPELLER. A PORTION OF THE BELLANCA'S RIGHT WING FUEL TANK WAS FOUND IMBEDDED IN THE RIGHT FLOAT OF THE CESSNA. BOTH AIRPLANES HAVE HIGH WINGS. THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA SAID THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND SUNNY, WITH REFLECTED SUNGLARE FROM THE WATER AND SNOW COVERED MOUNTAINS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC97FA051Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportTatitlek, AKThe command pilots of both airplanes inadequate visual outlook which led to their failure to see and avoid each other's airplane. A factor associated with the accident was sunglare.Apr 9, 1997 · 2 aircraft · Destroyed

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N59AKCessna A185FAccident 19970409005462A · Minor damage