- Date
- August 1, 2021, 16:45 local (Aug 2, 2021, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Igiugig, AK
- Injuries
- 3 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9608GCessna U206F
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20210801006769A
- Case key
- 103604
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 improper decision to continue a takeoff attempt when it became evident that the airplane would not become airborne before reaching the departure end shoreline.
Findings · 1
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
The pilot was attempting a takeoff in a float-equipped airplane. He estimated the gross weight of the airplane to be about 300 lbs. under the maximum gross weight limitation. He stated that after seeing the shoreline get “uncomfortably closer,” he wondered why the airplane was not getting airborne. The airplane subsequently impacted the shore, nosed over, and came to rest inverted on the beach. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The FAA publication Seaplane, Skiplane, and Float/Ski Equipped Helicopter Operations Handbook (FAA-H-8083-23) states that for seaplanes, as weight increases, the floats sink deeper into the water, creating a significant amount of water drag force during initial acceleration that results in a longer takeoff run.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9608G
- Reported as
- Cessna U206F (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- U20601808
- Built
- 1972
- Airframe hours
- 13,668.2
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 135
- Operator
- Branch River Air Service Inc, doing business as Branch River Air
- Registered owner
- River Front Akn LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 17, 2021 · 66.1 hours before
- Destination
- PAKN · King Salmon, AK
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS
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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 5, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,935 total · 250 in this make and model · 1,839 as pilot in command · 249 in the last 90 days · 128 in the last 30 days · 6.8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 11 knots
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Observed at
- PAIG, 20 nm away
- METAR
- PAIG 020056Z AUTO 03011KT FEW050 SCT065 17/14 RMK AO2 SLPNO T01720139 PWINO $
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 12, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.
Other investigations on N9608G · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.