ANC93LA126

Just as the airplane lifted off the beach its left wing hit a stationary pickup truck. The pilot then landed the airplane back on the beach. The pilot said she saw the truck before starting the engine in preparation for takeoff, then didn't see it again until just before the collision. Because of the high tide the pilot was in a hurry, and the takeoff space was limited. According to the 3 passengers, the airplane was 'dodging' the incoming water during the takeoff run. The pilot said she normally sat on a cushion to give her better forward visibility, but was not using a cushion at the time of the accident because a new seat had been installed.

History of flight

On July 24, 1993, at 1838 Alaska daylight time, a wheel equipped Cessna 207 airplane, N9993M, operated by MarkAir Express, Inc., struck a vehicle during takeoff from a beach about 20 miles south of Egegik, Alaska. The airline transport pilot, the three passengers, nor any persons on the ground were injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The unscheduled domestic passenger flight, operating under 14 CFR Part 135, was destined for King Salmon, Alaska. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and a company VFR flight plan was filed.

During a telephone conversation shortly after the accident, the pilot stated the following in part: "I saw the pickup truck before I started the airplane engine in preparation for takeoff, then didn't see it again until just before impact; then it was too late to avoid the collision. The truck had been moving but stopped before I started the takeoff run. When the airplane was about two feet in the air, it's left wing hit a boom attached to the truck. Immediately after the collision I put the airplane back down on the beach. The nose of the airplane is pretty high in the takeoff and landing attitude, so forward visibility is poor. Usually I sit on a cushion to put me higher and improve my forward visibility. I was not using a cushion at the time of the accident because a new seat had been installed in the airplane."

Additional information

Following the accident, during separate telephone conversations, the three passengers stated that because of the very high tide, the takeoff space for the airplane was limited, and the pilot had to dodge the incoming water during the ground run portion of the takeoff. They also said that the pilot seemed to be in a big hurry to get them and their baggage loaded and to takeoff.

The two men in the pickup truck stated that they jumped from the truck just seconds before it was hit by the airplane.

Mr. Michael Proctor, Director of Operations for MarkAir Express, stated that the results were negative from the pilot's post accident toxicological tests.