20150720013959I

Incident · Substantial damage

FAA incident report · Barber KINGFISHER · Wasilla, AK · July 20, 2015

Date: July 20, 2015 · 09:30 local
Place: Wasilla, AK
Airport: Blodgett Lake Seaplane Base
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N47170
Reported as: Barber Kingfisher
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-360-A1D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,333 total350 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N47170Registration cancelled Sep 29, 2015 · Barber KINGFISHERS/N 01 · Built 1978 Airframe modelBarber KINGFISHER Engine modelLycoming 0-360-A1DReciprocating

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.

Amphibious hull aircraft--pic stated he had practiced landings on land prior to this flight but this was his first water landing of the season.

PIC was attempting to land at Blodgett lake, near Wasilla Alaska and stated he "bounced several times on the landing and came to a stop." He also stated "there was water at my feet and it was rising." The aircraft initially remained upright.

The PIC stated the landing gear had been in the up (correct) position.

Fearing the aircraft was going to submerge the PIC made the decision to leave the aircraft and swim to shore.

Shortly thereafter the aircraft sank and was then floating inverted in the water.

PIC stated he thought the hard landing was the main factor that caused the leak(s). PIC also stated 40 year old thin 1/16 inch thick plywood construction likely contributed to the development of the leaks. He also stated he saw "holes" in the aircraft before it sank completely.

As the FAA filed it

AMPHIBIOUS HULL AIRCRAFT--PIC STATED HE HAD PRACTICED LANDINGS ON LAND PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT BUT THIS WAS HIS FIRST WATER LANDING OF THE SEASON.

PIC WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT BLODGETT LAKE, NEAR WASILLA ALASKA AND STATED HE "BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE LANDING AND CAME TO A STOP." HE ALSO STATED "THERE WAS WATER AT MY FEET AND IT WAS RISING." THE AIRCRAFT INITIALLY REMAINED UPRIGHT.

THE PIC STATED THE LANDING GEAR HAD BEEN IN THE UP (CORRECT) POSITION.

FEARING THE AIRCRAFT WAS GOING TO SUBMERGE THE PIC MADE THE DECISION TO LEAVE THE AIRCRAFT AND SWIM TO SHORE.

SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE AIRCRAFT SANK AND WAS THEN FLOATING INVERTED IN THE WATER.

PIC STATED HE THOUGHT THE HARD LANDING WAS THE MAIN FACTOR THAT CAUSED THE LEAK(S). PIC ALSO STATED 40 YEAR OLD THIN 1/16 INCH THICK PLYWOOD CONSTRUCTION LIKELY CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LEAKS. HE ALSO STATED HE SAW "HOLES" IN THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT SANK COMPLETELY.