- Date
- September 3, 2002, 18:30 local (Sep 4, 2002, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pilot Point, AK
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9563HCessna 185
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA-AL-ANC FSDO 03
- FAA report
- 20020903028989A
- Case key
- 55633
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate compensation for P-factor, and his failure to abort the takeoff which resulted in a collision with trees during the takeoff initial climb.
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.
Analysis
The private certificated pilot was departing a narrow river channel in a float-equipped airplane with a right crosswind of about 15 knots. The airplane was on-step, and the pilot attempted a step turn to the right to remain in the river channel. The pilot said that due to "P" factor, he was unable to turn to the right. He said that the river area ahead of the departure path ended at the river bank. He lowered the flaps and rotated the airplane into a climb attitude to avoid colliding with the bank. With an airspeed of about 50 knots, the pilot said he "hopped" the airplane over the river bank, but the tails of the floats collided with several trees. The airplane settled into the trees and received damage to the float assemblies and the wings.
Factual narrative
On September 3, 2002, about 1830 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped Cessna 185 airplane, N9563H, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a river bank during takeoff from a remote river area, about 17 miles east-northeast of Pilot Point, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14, CFR Part 91 visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The private certificated pilot, and the two passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The intended destination was King Salmon, Alaska.
During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on September 5, the pilot reported that he was departing from the Ugashic River, adjacent to Ugashic Lake. The pilot said the river channel was narrow because of low water conditions, and there was a right crosswind from the east about 15 knots. The pilot indicated he began the takeoff run toward the northeast. The airplane was on-step, and he attempted a step turn to the right to remain in the river channel. The pilot said that due to "P" factor, he was unable to turn to the right. He said that the river area ahead of the departure path ended at the river bank. He lowered the flaps and rotated the airplane into a climb attitude to avoid colliding with the bank. With an airspeed of about 50 knots, the pilot said he "hopped" the airplane over the river bank, but the tails of the floats collided with several trees. The airplane settled into the trees and received damage to the float assemblies and the wings.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9563H
- Reported as
- Cessna 185
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18503448
- Airframe hours
- 1,550
- Engine
- Continental IO-520D24, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jordon T. Hartman
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 10, 2002 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- Pilot Point, AK
- Destination
- AKN · King Salmon, AK
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,200 total · 1,550 in this make and model · 2,140 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.