- Date
- August 17, 2010, 21:00 local (Aug 18, 2010, 05:00 UTC)
- Place
- Soldotna, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4697EChampion 7EC
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100817044209A
- Case key
- 77011
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 failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
Moments after a calm-water takeoff, the single-engine floatplane stalled while in a climbing turn and impacted the water in a nose low attitude. The airplane came to rest nearly submerged with the empennage extending above the surface. The pilot and passenger were able to exit unassisted. During the mishap the airplane’s wing struts were bent and both floats were torn free from their mounts. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane that contributed to the accident.
Factual narrative
Moments after a calm-water takeoff, the single-engine floatplane stalled while in a climbing turn and impacted the water in a nose low attitude. The airplane came to rest nearly submerged with the empennage extending above the surface. The pilot and passenger were able to exit unassisted. During the mishap the airplane’s wing struts were bent and both floats were torn free from their mounts. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane that contributed to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4697E
- Reported as
- Champion 7EC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7EC-44
- Airframe hours
- 3,399
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-235, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Iverson James P
- Registered owner
- Iverson James P
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 28, 2005
- Departed
- Soldotna, AK
- Destination
- Beaver Lake, AK
- Airport
- Sport Lake, runway 18, 2,500 × 1,500 ft, water
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
- 46
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 28, 2008
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 550 total · 230 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 17° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.75 inHg
- Observed at
- PASX, 3 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 9, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 MB 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.