- Date
- June 25, 2022, 18:00 local (Jun 26, 2022, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Kokhanok, AK
- Injuries
- 7 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N600NLDehavilland Beaver U-6A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- 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
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20220625012219A
- Case key
- 105392
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 directional control during takeoff in gusting wind conditions which resulted in a loss of control and impact with the water.
Findings · 3
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 reported that, as the float-equipped airplane accelerated on the water for takeoff, a gust of wind turned the airplane 90° to the left. The left float subsequently impacted a wave and the airplane rolled inverted. The airplane eventually sank and was not recovered. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N600NL
- Reported as
- Dehavilland Beaver U-6A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 857
- Built
- 1954
- Airframe hours
- 14,104.3
- Engine
- P&W R-985 SERIES, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Newhalen Lodge Inc
- Registered owner
- Newhalen Lodge Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 6, 2022
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- PVT · Private
- Equipment
- 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
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 27, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 19,150 total · 10,000 in this make and model · 18,950 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 36 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- PAIL, 19 nm away
- METAR
- PAIL 260153Z 15006KT 10SM FU CLR 14/10 A3027 RMK AO2 SLP251 T01440100
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 20, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 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.