20010506014599A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 180A · Mercerisland, WA · May 6, 2001

Date: May 6, 2001 · 13:45 local
Place: Mercerisland, WA
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N9732B
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA01LA096
Reported as: Cessna 180A
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0

N9732BRegistration cancelled Apr 3, 2020 · Cessna 180AS/N 50030 · Built 1957 Airframe modelCessna 180A Engine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) Pilot stated that he was landing in relatively smooth water in light and variable wind conditions. Just after touchdown, aircraft encountered a large rolling wave that the pilot had not noticed prior to landing. The aircraft was thrown back into the air to a height of approximately 10 feet. It dropped back on the surface of the water with sufficient force to cause substantial damage to the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS LANDING IN RELATIVELY SMOOTH WATER IN LIGHT AND VARIABLE WIND CONDITIONS. JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A LARGE ROLLING WAVE THAT THE PILOT HAD NOT NOTICED PRIOR TO LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THROWN BACK INTO THE AIR TO A HEIGHT OF APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET. IT DROPPED BACK ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER WITH SUFFICIENT FORCE TO CAUSE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

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 SEA01LA096Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMercer Island, WAthe pilot's inadequate visual lookout during an approach and landing in open water. Factors include a large wave/swell at the location where the pilot elected to land his float-equipped airplane.May 6, 2001 · Substantial damage