What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 15, 2011, N252AL, a Cessna 206, departed homer, Alaska to pick up passengers in Nanwalek, Alaska. While on the base leg for runway 01 at Nanwalek, the airman encountered a strong head wind from the east and down draft. The runway conditions were 2-3 inches of slush with as much as 6 inches in the pot holes. Extra power was required to taxi. Prior to departure, the airman elected to back taxi to depart runway 01; this would prevent him from having to turn down wind after departure and avoid the down draft he felt on landing. This also would give him a 4 KTS tail wind component. Aircraft N252AL became airborne at approximately the half way point of the runway. The airman initiated an immediate turn over the water in order to avoid obstacles at the end of the runway. Aircraft N252AL was unable to climb and went into the water with four people on board; all four people evacuated successfully and swam to shore.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 15, 2011, N252AL, A CESSNA 206, DEPARTED HOMER, ALASKA TO PICK UP PASSENGERS IN NANWALEK, ALASKA. WHILE ON THE BASE LEG FOR RUNWAY 01 AT NANWALEK, THE AIRMAN ENCOUNTERED A STRONG HEAD WIND FROM THE EAST AND DOWN DRAFT. THE RUNWAY CONDITIONS WERE 2-3 INCHES OF SLUSH WITH AS MUCH AS 6 INCHES IN THE POT HOLES. EXTRA POWER WAS REQUIRED TO TAXI. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE AIRMAN ELECTED TO BACK TAXI TO DEPART RUNWAY 01; THIS WOULD PREVENT HIM FROM HAVING TO TURN DOWN WIND AFTER DEPARTURE AND AVOID THE DOWN DRAFT HE FELT ON LANDING. THIS ALSO WOULD GIVE HIM A 4 KTS TAIL WIND COMPONENT. AIRCRAFT N252AL BECAME AIRBORNE AT APPROXIMATELY THE HALF WAY POINT OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRMAN INITIATED AN IMMEDIATE TURN OVER THE WATER IN ORDER TO AVOID OBSTACLES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT N252AL WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB AND WENT INTO THE WATER WITH FOUR PEOPLE ON BOARD; ALL FOUR PEOPLE EVACUATED SUCCESSFULLY AND SWAM TO SHORE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.