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20030806037129A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna A185F · Iliamna, AK · August 6, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 6, 2003 · 06:30 local
Place
Iliamna, AK
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N185TB
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC03CA089
Reported as
Cessna A185F
Reported engine
Continental IO520*
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,300 total1,100 in this make and model10 in the last 90 days
N185TBRegistered now · Cessna A185FS/N 18504008 · Built 1980Airframe modelCessna A185FEngine modelContinental IO-520 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) Aircraft crashed immediately after lift off at crosswind lake, south of lake ilimna in Alaska. The pilot and two passengers received no injuries. privacy data omitted Recovered the wreckage and stated that the floats struck the ground 2 feet below the top of the bank (Dr. Brown says 6"). The floats were sheared off and the empennage was torn from the fuselage. The wreckage has been removed to port alsworth, AK. privacy data omitted Also stated that the lake elevation is about 700 ft. MSL, the temperatures have been running in the 80'S and 90'S, and there has been very little wind. Dr. Brown agrees and thinks the density altitude was about 1400 ft when the accident occurred. He also stated that there was a slight ripple on the water. Density altitude may have been a factor as well as surface tension caused by glassy water. Dr. Brown also stated that the lake level was "way down" this year and thus the bank was about a foot and a half higher above the water than in previous years. Dr. Brown stated that he has not had a problem using that lake in the past 12 years and does not know why he had a problem this time. He stated that the airplane was running fine.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT CRASHED IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFT OFF AT CROSSWIND LAKE, SOUTH OF LAKE ILIMNA IN ALASKA. THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED NO INJURIES. ^PRIVACY DATA^ RECOVERED THE WRECKAGE AND STATED THAT THE FLOATS STRUCK THE GROUND 2 FEET BELOW THE TOP OF THE BANK (DR. BROWN SAYS 6"). THE FLOATS WERE SHEARED OFF AND THE EMPENNAGE WAS TORN FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE WRECKAGE HAS BEEN REMOVED TO PORT ALSWORTH, AK. ^PRIVACY DATA^ ALSO STATED THAT THE LAKE ELEVATION IS ABOUT 700 FT. MSL, THE TEMPERATURES HAVE BEEN RUNNING IN THE 80'S AND 90'S, AND THERE HAS BEEN VERY LITTLE WIND. DR. BROWN AGREES AND THINKS THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 1400 FT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A SLIGHT RIPPLE ON THE WATER. DENSITY ALTITUDE MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR AS WELL AS SURFACE TENSION CAUSED BY GLASSY WATER. DR. BROWN ALSO STATED THAT THE LAKE LEVEL WAS "WAY DOWN" THIS YEAR AND THUS THE BANK WAS ABOUT A FOOT AND A HALF HIGHER ABOVE THE WATER THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS. DR. BROWN STATED THAT HE HAS NOT HAD A PROBLEM USING THAT LAKE IN THE PAST 12 YEARS AND DOES NOT KNOW WHY HE HAD A PROBLEM THIS TIME. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS RUNNING FINE.

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 ANC03CA089Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportIliamna, AKThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance during takeoff, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain.Aug 6, 2003 · Substantial damage