# NTSB ANC02LA084: Cessna 206, N756BW, Old Harbor, AK, July 26, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 26, 2002, 10:38 local (18:38 UTC) - Place: Old Harbor, AK - Coordinates: 57.031665, -154.133331 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=57.0317&lon=-154.1333&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 55403 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC02LA084 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55403/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55403 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC02LA084 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from terrain during initial climb, which resulted in an in-flight collision with water. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot's diverted attention. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, takeoff - initial climb - altitude/clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - water - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis The solo airline transport pilot was departing in a float-equipped airplane on an on-demand air taxi flight. As the airplane climbed through 100 feet above the water, the pilot's attention was temporarily distracted when items from the airplane's map compartment fell onto the floor of the airplane. As he leaned over to the right side of the airplane to recover the items, the airplane descended, and the airplane's floats struck the surface of the water. The airplane bounced into the air, and the pilot continued his climb. A postaccident inspection revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage area near the float attachments. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On July 26, 2002, about 1038 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped Cessna 206 airplane, N756BW, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with water during takeoff from Olga Bay, located about 30 miles west of Old Harbor, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) on-demand air taxi flight under Title 14, CFR Part 135, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by Redemption, Inc., dba Island Air Service, Kodiak, Alaska. The certificated airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and VFR company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated about 1035 from Olga Bay, and was en route to Kodiak, with a planned stop at Moser Bay, Alaska. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge on July 26, the pilot reported that just after takeoff from Olga Bay, as the airplane passed through 100 feet above the water, his attention was temporarily distracted after items from the airplane's map compartment fell onto the floor of the airplane. He said that as he leaned over to the right side of the instrument panel to close the map compartment and pickup the items on the floor, the airplane descended, and the floats of the airplane struck the surface of the water. The airplane bounced into the air, and he continued his climb. He said that during climb he noticed that the lower potion of the windscreen had pulled away from the fuselage, so he elected to bypass his planned stop at Moser Bay, and fly directly to Kodiak. A postaccident inspection revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward portions of the fuselage, adjacent to the forward float attach points. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N756BW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N756BW-2016-10-14), registration cancelled 2016-10-14, S/N U20603969, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 206 - Registry model: [Cessna U206G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-u206g) (registry code 2073356) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: U20603969 - Airframe hours: 7979.8 - Engines: Continental IO-520F 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Island Air, doing business as Island Air Service - Registered owner: Redemption Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 14, 2002, 92.9 hours before - Departed: KMY, Old Harbor, AK - Destination: ADQ, Kodiak, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 26; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 29 total, 135 in this make and model, 2,760 as pilot in command, 235 in the last 90 days, 101 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 15 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft broken - Temperature: 61 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020726018209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020726018209A), Jul 26, 2002: Cessna U206G, Olgabay, AK, No damage. (-23) The pilot was distracted when items fell out of the map compartment during take-off. The aircraft was at about 100 feet altitude when the pilot was… ## Other investigations on N756BW (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ANC15CA042](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15CA042), Jun 27, 2015: Cessna U206G (N756BW), Anchorage, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, and his failure to maintain directional control. ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 14, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55403. 872 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 872 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40463873&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.