# NTSB ANC15LA057: Found Acft Canada FBA 2C1, N798, Cold Bay, AK, July 24, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 24, 2015, 13:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Cold Bay, AK - Coordinates: 54.473331, -164.830001 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=54.4733&lon=-164.8300&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 11, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA, US DEPT OF THE INTERIOR - NTSB case key (mKey): 91645 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC15LA057 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91645/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91645 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15LA057 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate distance from surrounding terrain during the takeoff sequence, which resulted in the airplane contacting the terrain, prematurely becoming airborne, and subsequently entering an aerodynamic stall. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Found Acft Canada FBA-2C1, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=3640103), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Found Acft Canada FBA-2C1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=3640103), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Found Acft Canada FBA-2C1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=3640103), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Found Acft Canada FBA-2C1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=3640103), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) - [Terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Found Acft Canada FBA-2C1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md?model=3640103), [All aircraft, 267 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md) - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Found Acft Canada FBA-2C1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md?model=3640103), [All aircraft, 442 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Found Acft Canada FBA-2C1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=3640103), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Found Acft Canada FBA-2C1, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=3640103), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot reported that, during a local public flight, he attempted to take off from an unimproved airstrip that included a dogleg right turn. About 100 ft after making the required turn, the pilot realized that he had not corrected enough to the right to get lined up with the straight portion of the takeoff area and that the airplane was drifting left. His failure to maintain adequate distance from surrounding terrain resulted in the airplane contacting a 5-ft-high berm, inadvertently becoming airborne, and entering an aerodynamic stall. The airplane subsequently impacted the tundra in a left-wing-down attitude, bounced, and then came to rest about 180 degrees from the takeoff heading. ## Factual narrative On July 24, 2015, about 1300 Alaska daylight time, a tailwheel-equipped Found Aircraft Canada, Inc., FBA-2C1 airplane, N798, sustained substantial damage after a loss of control during takeoff from an unimproved airstrip near Sennett Point, Unimak Island, Alaska. The certificated commercial pilot and two passengers sustained no injuries. The airplane was registered to the United States Department of the Interior, and operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a public aircraft operations flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed and activated. During an interview with a Department of the Interior, Senior Air Safety Investigator, the pilot stated that the selected airstrip consisted of a dogleg of about 150 feet, followed by about a 25-degree right turn for an additional takeoff area of about 1,000 feet, totaling about 1,150 feet of available takeoff distance. About 100 feet after making the required turn, the pilot realized he had not made enough correction to the right to get lined up with the straight portion of the takeoff area and was drifting left. The airplane became airborne after contacting a berm about 5 feet in height, entered an aerodynamic stall, impacted the tundra in a left wing down attitude, bounced, and came to rest about 180 degrees from the takeoff heading. The closest weather reporting facility is Cold Bay Airport, Cold Bay, Alaska, approximately 85 miles northeast of the accident site. At 1253, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) from the Cold Bay Airport was reporting in part: wind from 160 degrees at 7 knots; sky condition few at 500 feet agl, broken at 1,000 feet agl; visibility 10 statute miles; temperature 55 degrees F; dew point 54 degrees F; barometric pressure 29.91 inHg. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N798](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N798-2022-09-16), registration cancelled 2022-09-16, S/N 33 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FOUND ACFT CANADA INC FBA 2C1 - Registry model: [Found Acft Canada FBA-2C1](https://openairdocs.org/model/found-acft-canada-fba-2c1) (registry code 3640103) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 33 - Year built: 2002 - Airframe hours: 2043 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-L1C5 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Public aircraft - federal, Public use - Operator: United States Fish And Wildlife Service - Registered owner: United States Department Of Interior - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Special, Restricted (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, December 4, 2014, 171 hours before - Departed: 26AK, Cold Bay, AK - Destination: CDB, COLD BAY, AK - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: 26AK, Cape Sarichef - Equipment: Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, Satellite tracking device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 69; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 15, 2015; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 24,130 total, 700 in this make and model, 23,990 as pilot in command, 125 in the last 90 days, 55 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,000 ft broken - Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: PACD, 85 nm away ## 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 20150724013949A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150724013949A), Jul 24, 2015: Found Acft Canada Inc FBA-2C1, Unimak, AK, Substantial damage. Crashed on takeoff due to loss of control from gusty winds. Airport is located at sea level at base of 6500 ft volcano. ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 23, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91645. 870 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 778 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440314&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 2, .PDF, 91 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40440315&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-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.