What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Float plane was taking off when the right float caught bushes at the end of the lake, the floats ripped off, the wing spars broke. (.4)the commercial pilot was attempting a southwesterly departure from a 2,000 feet long lake in a float equipped airplane. He reported that about midway in the takeoff run, he reduced the flap setting from 20 to 10 degrees. He said that as the airplane became airborne and passed over the departure end of the lake a sudden wind shift caused the airplane to lose altitude. He said that as the airplane continued to lose altitude, the right wing and right float collided with brush covered tundra, and sustained substantial damage. The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The pilot reported that wind conditions at the time of the accident were about 240 degrees at 15 knots with peak gusts to 20 knots.
As the FAA filed it
FLOAT PLANE WAS TAKING OFF WHEN THE RIGHT FLOAT CAUGHT BUSHES AT THE END OF THE LAKE, THE FLOATS RIPPED OFF, THE WING SPARS BROKE. (.4)THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A SOUTHWESTERLY DEPARTURE FROM A 2,000 FEET LONG LAKE IN A FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE. HE REPORTED THAT ABOUT MIDWAY IN THE TAKEOFF RUN, HE REDUCED THE FLAP SETTING FROM 20 TO 10 DEGREES. HE SAID THAT AS THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE AND PASSED OVER THE DEPARTURE END OF THE LAKE A SUDDEN WIND SHIFT CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO LOSE ALTITUDE. HE SAID THAT AS THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO LOSE ALTITUDE, THE RIGHT WING AND RIGHT FLOAT COLLIDED WITH BRUSH COVERED TUNDRA, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT NOTED THAT THERE WERE NO PREACCIDENT MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WIND CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE ABOUT 240 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS WITH PEAK GUSTS TO 20 KNOTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.