20210720011259A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172I · Renton, WA · July 20, 2021

Date: July 20, 2021 · 16:30 local
Place: Renton, WA
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N46287
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR21LA295
Reported as: Cessna 172I
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,200 total

N46287Registered now · Cessna 172IS/N 17257157 · Built 1968 Airframe modelCessna 172I Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

Certified flight instructor giving single engine float instruction noted a ski boat travelling at high speed approximately 1000 feet to the right of aircraft. The boat turned toward the aircraft, but the aircraft could not turn to the left fast enough. The boat struck the right horizontal stabilizer damaging it, both elevators, rudder/vertical stab, and twisting the entire empennage./////

As the FAA filed it

CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR GIVING SINGLE ENGINE FLOAT INSTRUCTION NOTED A SKI BOAT TRAVELLING AT HIGH SPEED APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET TO THE RIGHT OF AIRCRAFT. THE BOAT TURNED TOWARD THE AIRCRAFT, BUT THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT TURN TO THE LEFT FAST ENOUGH. THE BOAT STRUCK THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER DAMAGING IT, BOTH ELEVATORS, RUDDER/VERTICAL STAB, AND TWISTING THE ENTIRE EMPENNAGE./////

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 WPR21LA295Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRenton, WAThe boat operator’s failure to remain a safe distance from the floatplane during the takeoff run, which resulted in a collision.Jul 21, 2021 · Substantial damage