What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 22, 2000, at 1645 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-18 float equipped airplane, N7059, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from the Quinhagak airport waterway, quinhaqak, Alaska. The solo private pilot received no injuries. The public use flight was conducted under 14 CFR part 91 by the state of Alaska department of fish and wildlife protection. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a company flight plan was filed. The pilot told the FSDO investigator-in-charge (iic), during a telephone interview on August 1, 2000, that the wind varied from 270 degrees to 320 degrees at 15 knots. He stated he was taking off to the northeast, upriver against the current, with a left crosswind. He indicated that as he reached flying speed, the wind shifted to a tailwind, and the airplane did not climb. Both floats struck the riverbank, and the airplane came to rest on the airport runway. The airplane sustaine substantial damage to both float attach fittings, and the fuselage. In light of this the (iic) counseled the pilot on possible use of downriver take off due to the swift current (19 to 22KTS).
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 22, 2000, AT 1645 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-18 FLOAT EQUIPPED AIRPLANE, N7059, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING TAKEOFF FROM THE QUINHAGAK AIRPORT WATERWAY, QUINHAQAK, ALASKA. THE SOLO PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED NO INJURIES. THE PUBLIC USE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 BY THE STATE OF ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE PROTECTION. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT TOLD THE FSDO INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC), DURING A TELEPHONE INTERVIEW ON AUGUST 1, 2000, THAT THE WIND VARIED FROM 270 DEGREES TO 320 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS. HE STATED HE WAS TAKING OFF TO THE NORTHEAST, UPRIVER AGAINST THE CURRENT, WITH A LEFT CROSSWIND. HE INDICATED THAT AS HE REACHED FLYING SPEED, THE WIND SHIFTED TO A TAILWIND, AND THE AIRPLANE DID NOT CLIMB. BOTH FLOATS STRUCK THE RIVERBANK, AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST ON THE AIRPORT RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH FLOAT ATTACH FITTINGS, AND THE FUSELAGE. IN LIGHT OF THIS THE (IIC) COUNSELED THE PILOT ON POSSIBLE USE OF DOWNRIVER TAKE OFF DUE TO THE SWIFT CURRENT (19 TO 22KTS).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N7059 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.