What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 09 August 2025 at 08:00 LCL time, the accident aircraft departed lake hood seaplane base (lhd) on a part 135 commercial flight. The destination for the flight was tutka bay, AK.the aircarft had one pilot and four passengers onboard. The floatplane was piloted by a commercial pilot, holding a valid FAA commercial certificate. The pilot had a current class 2 medical certificate. The pilot stated, that while crossing the turnagain arm, the aircraft encountered turbulence.
After crossing the turnagain arm and while enroute to tutka bay, Alaska, the pilot maneuvered the aircarft to enable the passengers to view wildlife on the ground. During the maneuvering the pilot noticed a significant sink rate. The pilot advanced the throttle to arrest the sink rate. The aircraft impacted the ground with enough force to separate the floats from the aircraft. One of the propeller blades cut the bow off of the starboard float. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The pilot and passengers exited the aircraft without injury. The ELT did not acctivate on impact. The pilot contacted the operator by satelite phone. Pilot and passengers were safely rescued within the hour. Report amended on 09 sept 2025 to reflect nearest city to the accident site. Report amended on 11 sept 2025 to refect additional pilot training information and change block 34 from 44709 re-exam to counseling. This report will be amended, if additional information is obtained in the future.
As the FAA filed it
ON 09 AUGUST 2025 AT 08:00 LCL TIME, THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LAKE HOOD SEAPLANE BASE (LHD) ON A PART 135 COMMERCIAL FLIGHT. THE DESTINATION FOR THE FLIGHT WAS TUTKA BAY, AK.THE AIRCARFT HAD ONE PILOT AND FOUR PASSENGERS ONBOARD. THE FLOATPLANE WAS PILOTED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT, HOLDING A VALID FAA COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE. THE PILOT HAD A CURRENT CLASS 2 MEDICAL CERTIFICATE. THE PILOT STATED, THAT WHILE CROSSING THE TURNAGAIN ARM, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE.
AFTER CROSSING THE TURNAGAIN ARM AND WHILE ENROUTE TO TUTKA BAY, ALASKA, THE PILOT MANEUVERED THE AIRCARFT TO ENABLE THE PASSENGERS TO VIEW WILDLIFE ON THE GROUND. DURING THE MANEUVERING THE PILOT NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT SINK RATE. THE PILOT ADVANCED THE THROTTLE TO ARREST THE SINK RATE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO SEPARATE THE FLOATS FROM THE AIRCRAFT. ONE OF THE PROPELLER BLADES CUT THE BOW OFF OF THE STARBOARD FLOAT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGERS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJURY. THE ELT DID NOT ACCTIVATE ON IMPACT. THE PILOT CONTACTED THE OPERATOR BY SATELITE PHONE. PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE SAFELY RESCUED WITHIN THE HOUR. REPORT AMENDED ON 09 SEPT 2025 TO REFLECT NEAREST CITY TO THE ACCIDENT SITE. REPORT AMENDED ON 11 SEPT 2025 TO REFECT ADDITIONAL PILOT TRAINING INFORMATION AND CHANGE BLOCK 34 FROM 44709 RE-EXAM TO COUNSELING. THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED, IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS OBTAINED IN THE FUTURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.