What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 11, 2002, about 1930 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire-equipped Cessna U206F airplane, N696TK, sustained substantial damage during takeoff on a sandbar in the nushagak river, about 20 miles north of koliganek, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by tikchik narrows lodge, inc., as a visual flight rules (VFR) business flight under title 14, CFR part 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot and the three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight's intended destination was the airstrip at the tikchik narrows lodge, about 70 miles northwest of koliganek. The owner of tikchik narrows lodge said the pilot told him that during takeoff the airplane lifted off the sandbar too soon. The pilot said the airplane stopped climbing and started to descend. He said as the airplane descended onto the sandbar it drifted to the right, and its right main wheel entered the river. He said the airplane was pulled to the right into the river, and nosed over. The operator said there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 11, 2002, ABOUT 1930 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A TUNDRA TIRE-EQUIPPED CESSNA U206F AIRPLANE, N696TK, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING TAKEOFF ON A SANDBAR IN THE NUSHAGAK RIVER, ABOUT 20 MILES NORTH OF KOLIGANEK, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY TIKCHIK NARROWS LODGE, INC., AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) BUSINESS FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THE THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND COMPANY FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE IN EFFECT. THE FLIGHT'S INTENDED DESTINATION WAS THE AIRSTRIP AT THE TIKCHIK NARROWS LODGE, ABOUT 70 MILES NORTHWEST OF KOLIGANEK. THE OWNER OF TIKCHIK NARROWS LODGE SAID THE PILOT TOLD HIM THAT DURING TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF THE SANDBAR TOO SOON. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE STOPPED CLIMBING AND STARTED TO DESCEND. HE SAID AS THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED ONTO THE SANDBAR IT DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT, AND ITS RIGHT MAIN WHEEL ENTERED THE RIVER. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS PULLED TO THE RIGHT INTO THE RIVER, AND NOSED OVER. THE OPERATOR SAID THERE WERE NO KNOWN MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.