ANC00LA098

The pilot was departing a river in a float equipped airplane. Two branches of another river were flowing from the right, into the main channel used by the pilot for departure. A left crosswind was blowing between 10 to 20 knots. During the takeoff run toward the north, the pilot began to lower the nose of the airplane to get 'on-step.' He raised the water rudders and the airplane veered to the left. He said the left crosswind, and strong river current from the right produced the left turn. He then aborted the takeoff. The airplane did not get airborne, and collided with trees along the left bank of the river in an area of shallow water.

On July 26, 2000, about 1415 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped deHavilland DHC-2 airplane, N444EF, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a fishing lodge, about 20 miles north of King Salmon, Alaska, about latitude 59 degree, 01 minutes north, and longitude 156 degrees, 48 minutes west. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country business flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Katmai Pro Shop Inc., King Salmon. The commercial certificated pilot, and the four passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. VFR company flight following procedures were in effect.

On August 11, 2000, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) was notified that the airplane had been damaged. An inspection of the airplane on the same day in Anchorage, Alaska, revealed wing rib damage to the right wing tip, and damage to the outboard end of the left elevator. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB (IIC), on August 14, 2000, at 0800, the pilot reported that he was departing the Katmai Lodge which is located near the confluence of the Alagnak River, and the Kvichak River. The pilot was transporting lodge guests to King Salmon. The pilot said he began a takeoff run toward the north and had just began to lower the nose on-step. He raised the water rudders and the airplane veered to the left. He said a left crosswind, and a strong river current from the right produced the left turn. He then aborted the takeoff. The airplane did not get airborne, and collided with trees along the bank of the river in an area of shallow water.