- Date
- August 10, 2009, 16:45 local (Aug 11, 2009, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Iliamna, AK
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5110UCessna 206
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA - FSDO3, FAA - FSD03
- FAA report
- 20090810025339A
- Case key
- 74503
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot's decision to takeoff towards an area of rising terrain and potential downdrafts with a fully loaded airplane, which resulted in an encounter with a downdraft that exceeded the airplane's climb capability.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings.
Analysis
The airline transport pilot reported that he was operating his float-equipped airplane under Title 14, CFR Part 91 as part of his guiding business. He said he was departing a remote lake with four passengers after a bear viewing trip, and that he encountered a downdraft during the initial climb. In his report to the NTSB, he wrote: “there was not sufficient lake left to stop and I was unable to climb over the rising terrain.” The airplane struck terrain near the shoreline and came to rest upright. One passenger was seriously injured, and the airplane received substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The airline transport pilot reported that he was operating his float-equipped airplane under Title 14, CFR Part 91 as part of his guiding business. He said he was departing a remote lake with four passengers after a bear viewing trip, and that he encountered a downdraft during the initial climb. In his report to the NTSB, he wrote: “there was not sufficient lake left to stop and I was unable to climb over the rising terrain.” The airplane struck terrain near the shoreline and came to rest upright. One passenger was seriously injured, and the airplane received substantial damage to the forward fuselage. The pilot indicated that there were no preaccident mechanical problems with the airplane.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5110U
- Reported as
- Cessna 206
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2060110
- Airframe hours
- 6,027
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Homer Flyout Adventures LLC
- Registered owner
- Homer Flyout Adventures LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 10, 2009 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- 5BL · Homer, AK
- Destination
- Mirror Lake, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 48
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 15, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,317 total · 260 in this make and model · 2,149 as pilot in command · 67 in the last 90 days · 43 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Temperature
- 63 °F
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 14, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 829 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N5110U · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.