What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During departure roll on the east river for takeoff from 6N7 the incident aircraft was approached by 3 jet skis on his right side. One jet ski followed the aircraft and was attemping to jump its water wake during the departure roll. One of the jumps came very close to the aircraft so the PIC elected to abort the takeoff for safety. As the abort was in progress the seaplane went through a nyc ferry wake that caused the aircraft to become airborne. The aircraft bounced three times while the PIC maintained directional control of the aircraft. The PIC recalls water splashing all over the aircraft from the floats hitting the wake. After coming to a stop in the water the PIC checked to ensure his passengers were safe. He visually checked the aircraft from the cockpit. It is likely that either water from the wake splashing off the pontoons ricocheted off the bottom of the wing or the right wing tip struck the water causing the top surface of the wing to ripple. No damage was visible from the cockpit or ground. It was only after landing at khto at the end of his route that the aircraft washer while on a ladder found the damage to the upper wing surface. The airman was counseled to consider that with water splashing all over the aircraft not being a normal or aborted takeoff it should have been treated as an abnormal situation and a post incident review of the aircraft should have happened. More importantly a thorough post flight after the flight was completed should also be accomplished. It was not possible for the PIC to know or see any of the damage from the cockpit of the aircraft while on the east river.
As the FAA filed it
DURING DEPARTURE ROLL ON THE EAST RIVER FOR TAKEOFF FROM 6N7 THE INCIDENT AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHED BY 3 JET SKIS ON HIS RIGHT SIDE. ONE JET SKI FOLLOWED THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS ATTEMPING TO JUMP ITS WATER WAKE DURING THE DEPARTURE ROLL. ONE OF THE JUMPS CAME VERY CLOSE TO THE AIRCRAFT SO THE PIC ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF FOR SAFETY. AS THE ABORT WAS IN PROGRESS THE SEAPLANE WENT THROUGH A NYC FERRY WAKE THAT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO BECOME AIRBORNE. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED THREE TIMES WHILE THE PIC MAINTAINED DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PIC RECALLS WATER SPLASHING ALL OVER THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE FLOATS HITTING THE WAKE. AFTER COMING TO A STOP IN THE WATER THE PIC CHECKED TO ENSURE HIS PASSENGERS WERE SAFE. HE VISUALLY CHECKED THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE COCKPIT. IT IS LIKELY THAT EITHER WATER FROM THE WAKE SPLASHING OFF THE PONTOONS RICOCHETED OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE WING OR THE RIGHT WING TIP STRUCK THE WATER CAUSING THE TOP SURFACE OF THE WING TO RIPPLE. NO DAMAGE WAS VISIBLE FROM THE COCKPIT OR GROUND. IT WAS ONLY AFTER LANDING AT KHTO AT THE END OF HIS ROUTE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WASHER WHILE ON A LADDER FOUND THE DAMAGE TO THE UPPER WING SURFACE. THE AIRMAN WAS COUNSELED TO CONSIDER THAT WITH WATER SPLASHING ALL OVER THE AIRCRAFT NOT BEING A NORMAL OR ABORTED TAKEOFF IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TREATED AS AN ABNORMAL SITUATION AND A POST INCIDENT REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. MORE IMPORTANTLY A THOROUGH POST FLIGHT AFTER THE FLIGHT WAS COMPLETED SHOULD ALSO BE ACCOMPLISHED. IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE FOR THE PIC TO KNOW OR SEE ANY OF THE DAMAGE FROM THE COCKPIT OF THE AIRCRAFT WHILE ON THE EAST RIVER.
Other reports on N208JB · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.