20090326046829A

ON MARCH 26, 2009, ABOUT 1400 ALASKA STANDARD TIME, A SKI-EQUIPPED CESSNA 170B AIRPLANE, N2989D, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING TAKEOFF FROM A REMOTE FROZEN LAKE, ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DILLINGHAM, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LOCAL AREA FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF DILLINGHAM, ALASKA. THE TWO PEOPLE ABOARD, CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, SEATED IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, THE PASSENGER, SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, BOTH OCCUPANTS SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT SKI STRIP FIVE MILES SOUTHWEST OF DILLINGHAM AT ABOUT 1400. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH AN AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR, ON MARCH 28, 2009, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO LOOK FOR GAME. HE SAID THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF TO THE NORTHEAST WITH 20 DEGREES OF FLAP BUT ABORTED THAT TAKEOFF AND REVERSED DIRECTION AND TRIED TO DEPART TO THE SOUTH WITH FULL FLAPS SELECTED. THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED THE TREES BUT AFTER "LEVELING OUT SANK INTO THE TREES". THE RIGHT WING CLIPPED THE TOP OF A TREE AND THEN HALFWAY UP OF THE NEXT TREE. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, FUSELAGE, AND EMPENNAGE. THE CLOSEST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY IS THE DILLINGHAM AIRPORT, 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. AT 2230Z, AN AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVATION SYSTEM WAS REPORTING, IN PART: WIND, 190 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS GUSTING TO 18 KNOTS, VISIBILITY, 15 STATUTE MILES; FEW CLOUDS AT 3000 FEET SCATTERED CLOUDS AT 6500 FEET.