What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PIC departed operator dock on naknek river in aircraft on floats with 6 passengers. Weather- visibility 5-7 NM, ceiling 900 feet, svfr. PIC contacted akn contract tower and requested down river takeoff but was told that was not possible at the time but up river was good. PIC turned aircraft up river. PIC obtained svfr clearance and permission to "proceed off the river" from tower. PIC looked up river and saw boats on his right and no boats on left. PIC increased power to get on float step to pass boats on right before adding full takeoff power. PIC immediately heard and felt a collision that caused aircraft to roll forward and to the right ending upside down. PIC opened his left door as aircraft sank and 6 passengers exited and stood on wing and belly until picked up by boats.
Aircraft left float struck right side bow of a 20 foot flat bottom aluminum boat. Boat had 90HP outboard jet and was in reverse. Boat driver and 2 boat passengers were thrown into water by impact. Boat driver assisted pilot as 2 boat passengers swam toward shore but were picked-up by other boats. Damaged boat was circling in reverse until stopped.
PIC stated he looked but did not see the boat that he struck.
As the FAA filed it
PIC DEPARTED OPERATOR DOCK ON NAKNEK RIVER IN AIRCRAFT ON FLOATS WITH 6 PASSENGERS. WEATHER- VISIBILITY 5-7 NM, CEILING 900 FEET, SVFR. PIC CONTACTED AKN CONTRACT TOWER AND REQUESTED DOWN RIVER TAKEOFF BUT WAS TOLD THAT WAS NOT POSSIBLE AT THE TIME BUT UP RIVER WAS GOOD. PIC TURNED AIRCRAFT UP RIVER. PIC OBTAINED SVFR CLEARANCE AND PERMISSION TO "PROCEED OFF THE RIVER" FROM TOWER. PIC LOOKED UP RIVER AND SAW BOATS ON HIS RIGHT AND NO BOATS ON LEFT. PIC INCREASED POWER TO GET ON FLOAT STEP TO PASS BOATS ON RIGHT BEFORE ADDING FULL TAKEOFF POWER. PIC IMMEDIATELY HEARD AND FELT A COLLISION THAT CAUSED AIRCRAFT TO ROLL FORWARD AND TO THE RIGHT ENDING UPSIDE DOWN. PIC OPENED HIS LEFT DOOR AS AIRCRAFT SANK AND 6 PASSENGERS EXITED AND STOOD ON WING AND BELLY UNTIL PICKED UP BY BOATS.
AIRCRAFT LEFT FLOAT STRUCK RIGHT SIDE BOW OF A 20 FOOT FLAT BOTTOM ALUMINUM BOAT. BOAT HAD 90HP OUTBOARD JET AND WAS IN REVERSE. BOAT DRIVER AND 2 BOAT PASSENGERS WERE THROWN INTO WATER BY IMPACT. BOAT DRIVER ASSISTED PILOT AS 2 BOAT PASSENGERS SWAM TOWARD SHORE BUT WERE PICKED-UP BY OTHER BOATS. DAMAGED BOAT WAS CIRCLING IN REVERSE UNTIL STOPPED.
PIC STATED HE LOOKED BUT DID NOT SEE THE BOAT THAT HE STRUCK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.