ANC03LA003

The solo private pilot was departing in a float-equipped airplane for a flight over an area of open ocean water. During a phone interview the day after the accident, the pilot said that just after takeoff, while crossing a 1-mile wide channel of open water, he encountered a fog bank. He noted that the ocean water was "as smooth as glass." As the flight progressed, the visibility deteriorated to a point that he elected to turn around. During a left 180 degree turn, the airplane descended, collided with the ocean, broke apart, and sank. In the pilot's written statement to the NTSB, the pilot said that he suspected that the floats of the airplane had been sabotaged, which allowed water to enter the floats, which in turn extended the airplane's takeoff roll, and precipitated his encounter with the fog bank. In a written statement to the NTSB, a witness who could hear, but not see the accident airplane's takeoff, wrote, in part: "The fog at that time was so heavy and so thick that our dock, which is about 75 feet from where I was standing, was a slight shadow. It would have been zero visibility." The airplane wreckage sank in ocean waters estimated to be between 150 to 250 feet deep and has not been recovered.

On October 17, 2002, about 1020 Alaska daylight time, a float-equipped Maule M-7-235 airplane, N5662S, was presumably destroyed during an in-flight collision with ocean waters, about 25 miles southeast of Wrangell, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo private pilot sustained serious injuries. The pilot reported instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1018, from a remote site, and was en route to Wrangell.

During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on October 18, the pilot reported that his anticipated flight to Wrangell was over various portions of open ocean water. He said that about 2 minutes after takeoff, while crossing a 1-mile wide channel of open water, he encountered a fog bank. He noted that the ocean water was "as smooth as glass." The pilot reported that as the flight progressed, the visibility deteriorated to a point that he elected to turn around. He said that during a left, 180 degree turn, the airplane descended and collided with the ocean. During the collision sequence, the airplane broke apart and sank. The pilot reported that as the cabin section of the airplane sank, his foot was stuck under the instrument panel. After the airplane was underwater, he was able to free himself from the wreckage and swim to the surface. A passing fishing boat rescued the pilot about 40 minutes after the accident and transported him to shore.

In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) submitted by the pilot, dated October 25, 2002, the pilot reported that he now suspected that the floats of the airplane had been sabotaged prior to his departure. He wrote, in part: "I suspect that the floats had been tampered with which allowed water to fill the forward floats, hence, my normal takeoff extended me closer to the fog bank, in which I slowly entered..."

On November 4, 2002, the NTSB IIC received a written witness statement concerning weather conditions during the accident airplane's takeoff. The witness wrote, in part: "The fog at that time was so heavy and so thick that our dock, which is about 75 feet from where I was standing, was a slight shadow. It would have been zero visibility."

The airplane wreckage sank in ocean waters estimated to be between 150 to 250 feet deep. According to the pilot, there are no plans to recover the airplane wreckage.