OpenAirDocs.org

20160930013799A

Accident · Destroyed
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1 · Lopez, WA · September 30, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
September 30, 2016 · 08:36 local
Place
Lopez, WA
Airport
Fishermans Bay Spb
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
GJRA
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N6781L
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR16LA189
Reported as
Dehavilland Beaver DHC-2 MK.1
Reported engine
NONE NONE
People aboard
4
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
3
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
25,000 total1,630 in this make and model53 in the last 90 days
N6781LRegistration cancelled Jul 8, 2019 · Dehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1S/N 788 · Built 1953Airframe modelDehavilland BEAVER DHC-2 MK.1Engine modelNONENone

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.

Pilot departed on a CFR 135 flight from kenmore air harbor seaplane base (W55) to fisherman's bay seaplane base (81W). The nearest reported weather was from Friday harbor airport (8 miles west) and the weather report at 0853 reported nine miles visibility and a 400 foot overcast ceiling. Other pilots flying in the vicinity at the time estimated the top of the overcast layer was 1200' AGL. The pilot stated that he saw breaks in the overcast layer and began a descent beneath the clouds and could see water at all times during his descent. The pilot reported that at a certain point, before turning final to land, he encountered fog and lost sight of the water. Realizing his approach was unworkable, he initiated a go-around. As soon as he did that, he contacted the water. The airplane bounced, then contacted the water again. It was upright. Water began to enter the airplane, and he ordered everyone to exit the airplane.

Passenger witness statements confirm that the pilot encountered reduced visibility at some point on his approach.

There is a disparity between the pilots statement and that of the front seat passenger, therefore unable to determine at exactly what point during the flight the pilot went from VFR conditions into IMC conditions.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT DEPARTED ON A CFR 135 FLIGHT FROM KENMORE AIR HARBOR SEAPLANE BASE (W55) TO FISHERMAN'S BAY SEAPLANE BASE (81W). THE NEAREST REPORTED WEATHER WAS FROM FRIDAY HARBOR AIRPORT (8 MILES WEST) AND THE WEATHER REPORT AT 0853 REPORTED NINE MILES VISIBILITY AND A 400 FOOT OVERCAST CEILING. OTHER PILOTS FLYING IN THE VICINITY AT THE TIME ESTIMATED THE TOP OF THE OVERCAST LAYER WAS 1200' AGL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SAW BREAKS IN THE OVERCAST LAYER AND BEGAN A DESCENT BENEATH THE CLOUDS AND COULD SEE WATER AT ALL TIMES DURING HIS DESCENT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AT A CERTAIN POINT, BEFORE TURNING FINAL TO LAND, HE ENCOUNTERED FOG AND LOST SIGHT OF THE WATER. REALIZING HIS APPROACH WAS UNWORKABLE, HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND. AS SOON AS HE DID THAT, HE CONTACTED THE WATER. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, THEN CONTACTED THE WATER AGAIN. IT WAS UPRIGHT. WATER BEGAN TO ENTER THE AIRPLANE, AND HE ORDERED EVERYONE TO EXIT THE AIRPLANE.

PASSENGER WITNESS STATEMENTS CONFIRM THAT THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED REDUCED VISIBILITY AT SOME POINT ON HIS APPROACH.

THERE IS A DISPARITY BETWEEN THE PILOTS STATEMENT AND THAT OF THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER, THEREFORE UNABLE TO DETERMINE AT EXACTLY WHAT POINT DURING THE FLIGHT THE PILOT WENT FROM VFR CONDITIONS INTO IMC CONDITIONS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR16LA189Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLopez Island, WAThe pilot's decision to land in an area of low visibility and ground fog, which resulted in collision with water.Sep 30, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6781L · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20060914019789IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Orcas Island, WA(-23) While taxiing floatplane to a private dock to pick up pax, the left float struck a submerged object and holed the bottom of the float. A local boat was used to help free the floatplane from the obstacle. The aircraft was beached to await maintenance. No…Sep 14, 2006 · Minor damageAccident 20010430010529ASeattle, WA(-23)According to pilot statements, winds at the time of the accident were out of the south at 25 knots with higher gusts, and one (1) foot swells exited on lake union. Both pilots stated that after idle taxiing to the north end of the lake, the aircraft was…Apr 30, 2001 · No damage