# Incident 20150720013959I: Barber KINGFISHER, Wasilla, AK, July 20, 2015

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 20, 2015, 09:30 local time
- Place: Wasilla, AK
- Airport: Blodgett Lake Seaplane Base
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 61.5785° N, 149.4763° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Wasilla, AK, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.5785&lon=-149.4763&mi=10
- Aircraft: N47170, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N47170-2015-09-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Barber KINGFISHER (registry code 9570523, https://openairdocs.org/model/barber-kingfisher) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-360-A1D (registry code 41504, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-360-a1d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BARBER KINGFISHER
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-360-A1D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,333 total, 350 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150720013959I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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