What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On February 20, 2009, about 1515 Alaska standard time, a wheel/ski-equipped de havilland DHC-2 (beaver) airplane, N5342G, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a remote frozen lake, about 10 miles northeast of Kenai, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area proficiency/instructional flight under title 14, CFR part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the civil air patrol inc. (cap), anchorage, Alaska. The three people aboard, the first pilot, a certificated flight instructor seated in the right seat, the second pilot, seated in the left seat, and a pilot-rated passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and cap flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated at the Kenai municipal airport, Kenai, about 1445. During a interview with an aviation safety inspector, on February 25, the flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was to familiarize the second pilot with wheel/ski operations of a de havilland DHC-2 airplane. He said that after the second pilot completed a series of touch-and-go landings on the frozen lake, he took the flight controls to demonstrate the next landing and takeoff. He said that after landing he applied full engine power for takeoff, but the airplane failed to climb, and it collided with a stand of trees at the edge of the lake. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The closest weather reporting facility is the Kenai municipal airport, 10 miles southwest of the accident site. At 1453, an automated weather observation system was reporting, in part: wind, 190 degrees (true) at 3 knots, visibility, 10 statute miles; clear; temperature, 31 degrees f; dew point, 21 degrees f; altimeter, 30.51 inhg.
As the FAA filed it
ON FEBRUARY 20, 2009, ABOUT 1515 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A WHEEL/SKI-EQUIPPED DE HAVILLAND DHC-2 (BEAVER) AIRPLANE, N5342G, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE FROZEN LAKE, ABOUT 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF KENAI, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LOCAL AREA PROFICIENCY/INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE CIVIL AIR PATROL INC. (CAP), ANCHORAGE, ALASKA. THE THREE PEOPLE ABOARD, THE FIRST PILOT, A CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SEATED IN THE RIGHT SEAT, THE SECOND PILOT, SEATED IN THE LEFT SEAT, AND A PILOT-RATED PASSENGER, WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND CAP FLIGHT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES WERE IN EFFECT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE KENAI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, KENAI, ABOUT 1445. DURING A INTERVIEW WITH AN AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR, ON FEBRUARY 25, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO FAMILIARIZE THE SECOND PILOT WITH WHEEL/SKI OPERATIONS OF A DE HAVILLAND DHC-2 AIRPLANE. HE SAID THAT AFTER THE SECOND PILOT COMPLETED A SERIES OF TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS ON THE FROZEN LAKE, HE TOOK THE FLIGHT CONTROLS TO DEMONSTRATE THE NEXT LANDING AND TAKEOFF. HE SAID THAT AFTER LANDING HE APPLIED FULL ENGINE POWER FOR TAKEOFF, BUT THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO CLIMB, AND IT COLLIDED WITH A STAND OF TREES AT THE EDGE OF THE LAKE. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, FUSELAGE, AND EMPENNAGE. THE CLOSEST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY IS THE KENAI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. AT 1453, AN AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVATION SYSTEM WAS REPORTING, IN PART: WIND, 190 DEGREES (TRUE) AT 3 KNOTS, VISIBILITY, 10 STATUTE MILES; CLEAR; TEMPERATURE, 31 DEGREES F; DEW POINT, 21 DEGREES F; ALTIMETER, 30.51 INHG.
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 N5342G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.