ANC02LA076

The pilot reported that he was repositioning the floatplane from the anchorage to the passenger docks. The pilot landed the airplane hard with a quartering tailwind, and inadvertently water looped the airplane. During the hard landing and water loop, the right float separated from the airplane. The airplane settled into the water, nosed over, and submerged, damaging the right wing.

On July 12, 2002, about 0840 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped de Havilland DHC-2 airplane, N93AK, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing when the right landing gear float separated from the airplane, and the airplane nosed over at the Juneau Harbor Seaplane base, Juneau, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Alaska Coastal Airlines, dba Wings Airways, of Juneau, as a visual flight rules (VFR) positioning flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company VFR flight following procedures were in effect. The airplane was being repositioned from its anchorage in Juneau to the downtown passenger docks.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on July 12, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector (ASI) who was at the accident site, said according to numerous witnesses, the airplane landed hard, and bounced several times, appearing to skid across the surface of the water sideways. She said during the hard landing the accident airplane's right float partially separated from the airplane, and the airplane started to sink. She said the airplane eventually nosed over, and submerged suspended from the surface of the water by the left float.

In a written statement to the FAA dated July 12, the pilot said he made an approach and landed toward the east. He said as he approached the surface of the water, he corrected for a slight left crosswind which he estimated to be five knots. He said the airplane touched down with the left float first, and he retarded the throttle. He said when the right float touched down it dug in, and the airplane bounced once or twice. He said the airplane came to rest with its right side low in the water, and he climbed out onto the left float where he was picked up by a boat. The airplane then submerged.

The right wing of the airplane sustained substantial damage during the accident.

At the time of the accident, the Juneau weather station was reporting winds from 260 degrees at 6 knots. The visibility was 10 statute miles, and the temperature and dewpoint were 55 and 52 degrees F, respectively. The sky condition was reported as few clouds at 3500 feet msl, and the altimeter setting was 30.17 inches of mercury.