# Accident 19990906026409A: Cessna 180, Dillingham, AK, September 6, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 6, 1999, 18:30 local time - Place: Dillingham, AK - Airport: Shannons Pond Spb - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 58.8202° N, 157.8600° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.8202&lon=-157.8600&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5316D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5316D) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 180A (registry code 2072604, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 180 - Reported engine: CONT O470K - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 1,300 total, 300 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA134) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990906026409A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1999, ABOUT 1830 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A FLOAT EQUIPPED CESSNA 180 AIRPLANE, N5316D, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT DID NOT BECOME AIRBORNE DURING TAKEOFF AND COLLIDED WITH LEVEL TERRAIN AT THE END OF THE SHANNON'S POND SEAPLANE BASE, DILLINGHAM, ALASKA. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT 59 DEGREES 03.54 MINUTES NORTH LATITUDE, 158 DEGREES 34.63 MINUTES WEST LONGITUDE. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THE ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD WERE NOT INJURED. THE VISUAL FLIGHT RULES. (VFR) PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 BY THE AIRPLANE'S OWNER. THE FLIGHT WAS DEPARTING FOR GRANT LAKE, ALASKA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW WITH THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC) ON SEPTEMBER 8, THE PILOT STATED HE WATER TAXIED TO THE SOUTHWEST END OF THE 1,400 FEET LONG BY 100 FETT WIDE, NORTHEAST-SOUTHWEST WATER LANE AND BEGAN THE TAKEOFF RUN. HE DESCRIBED THE WINDS TO BE FROM THE NORTHWEST ABOUT EIGHT KNOTS, THE WATER SURFACE AS LIGHTLY RIPPLED, AND THE FLAP SETTING TO BE 20 DEGREES. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE CAME UP "ON STEP" NORMALLY, BUT DID NOT LIFT OFF THE WATER BEFORE COLLIDING WITH THE NORTHEAST END OF THE LAKE. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET BEYOND THE LAKE EDGE, AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO SEVERAL FUSELAGE STRINGERS AFT OF THE REAR FLOAT ATTACHMENTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE CONTAINED FULL STANDARD FUEL TANKS, ABOUT 100 POUNDS OF EQUIPMENT, AND THAT HE AND THE PASSENGER WEIGH 450 POUNDS COMBINED. (-23) A FLOAT EQUIPPED CESSNA 180 AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT DID NOT BECOME AIRBORNE DURING TAKEOFF AND COLLIDED WIHT LEVEL TERRAIN (TUNDRA) APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS FROM THE NORTHEAST END OF SHANNON'S POND (1400' X 100') IN DILLINGHAM, ALASKA. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD OPERATED IN AND OUT OF THIS POND ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS IN THE PAST 10 YEARS, HOWEVER, NOT IN THE LAST 4 YEARS. HE DESCRIBED THE WIND TO BE FROM THE NORTHWEST AT 8 KNOTS. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED CLOSE TO THE GROSS WEIGHT. HE HAD PREVIOUSLY FUELED THE AIRCRAFT AT ALEKNAGIK WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY FOUR TENTHS OF AN HOUR FROM SHANNON'S POND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD DISCUSSED HIS LOAD WITH LOCAL PILOTS AND THEY FELT THAT HE COULD TAKEOFF SAFELY. HE FURTHER INDICATED THAT HE CONDUCTED STEP TAXI OPERATIONS ON THE POND AND THAT IT "FELT GOOD". ON THE TAKEOFF ROLL, HE ATTEMPTED TO ROTATE THE AIRCRAFT AT APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH, HOWEVER, IT DID NOT RESPOND WELL. HE REALIZED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH POND LEFT TO ABORT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST AT APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS BEYOND THE EDGE OF SHANNON'S POND. (.4) THE FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE WAS DEPARTING TO THE NORTHEAST ON A 1,400 FEET LONG SEADROME. THE PILOT TOLD THE NTSB ICC THAT THE WINDS WERE ABOUT FOUR KNOTS, AND THE WATER WAS LIGHTLY RIPPLED. HE SAID THE FUEL TANKS WERE FULL, AND THAT HE COULD HAVE MANAGED HIS FUEL LOAD BETTER. THE ESTIMATED TAKEOFF WEIGHT WAS 2,813 POUNDS. THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TAKEOFF WEIGHT WAS 2,820 POUNDS. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE GOT 'ON STEP' NORMALLY BUT DID NOT LIFT OFF THE WATER PRIOR TO STRIKING THE BANK AT THE END OF THE LAKE. THE CESSNA 180A OPERATOR'S HANDBOOK STATES THE REQUIRED WATER RUN FOR THE TAKEOFF CONDITIONS IS 1,356 FEET. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC99LA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA134), Sep 7, 1999: Cessna 180 (N5316D), Dillingham, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight planning. Factors associated with the accident were a short runway, and the pilot's failure to use available performance data. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.