ANC01LA103

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 207 · Pilot Point, AK · July 18, 2001

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 17, 2001, 17:30 local (Jul 18, 2001, 01:30 UTC)
Place
Pilot Point, AK
Injuries
6 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N100PCCessna 207
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 3, 2002
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Alaska Regional Office
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
Case key
53214

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's selection of an unsuitable takeoff area, and failure to maintain clearance. A factor associated with the accident was a vehicle mounted gantry.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

On ground/water collision with objectTakeoff - roll/run
Object - vehicleFactor
Unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selectedPilot in commandCause
Clearance - not maintainedPilot in commandCause

Analysis

The certificated commerical pilot, with 5 passengers aboard, was departing from a remote beach site. During the departure roll, just before takeoff, the airplane's right wing struck a truck-mounted gantry that was parked on the beach. The pilot continued the takeoff, and ultimately made a precautionary landing at another airport about 130 miles from the accident site. Postaccident inspection revealed about twelve inches of the right wing was severed during the accident.

Factual narrative

On July 17, 2001, about 1730 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Cessna 207 airplane, N100PC, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from a remote beach site located about 5 miles north of Pilot Point, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand passenger flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was owned and operated by Rediske Air, Inc., Nikiski, Alaska. The certificated commercial pilot, and the five passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was flied for the flight to Soldotna, Alaska.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on August 17, the pilot reported that while on the departure roll, just before takeoff, the airplane's right wing struck a truck-mounted gantry that that was parked on the beach. The pilot stated that he continued the takeoff, and ultimately made a precautionary landing at Igiugig, Alaska. Postaccident inspection revealed about twelve inches of the right wing was severed during the accident. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident anomalies with the airplane.

Aircraft

Registration
N100PC
Reported as
Cessna 207
Category
Airplane
Serial number
20700467
Airframe hours
7,906.7
Engine
Continental IO-520 F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Part 135
Registered owner
Rediske Air, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · June 29, 2001 · 55 hours before
Departed
PNP · Pilot Point, AK
Destination
SXQ · Soldotna, AK
Flight plan
VFR

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
49
Injuries
None
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Last flight review
June 1, 2001
Seat
Left
Flight hours
15,000 total · 10,000 in this make and model · 300 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
360° at 15 knots
Visibility
20 statute miles
Temperature
50 °F