ANC94LA099

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 206 · King Salmon, AK · August 6, 1994

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 5, 1994, 16:45 local (Aug 6, 1994, 00:45 UTC)
Place
King Salmon, AK
Injuries
4 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N5120XCessna 206
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 16, 1995
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Alaska Regional Office
FAA report
19940805020399A
Case key
2536

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to use the available longer portion of the lake for the takeoff run.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterTakeoff - initial climb
Planning/decision - improperPilot in commandCause
Lift-off - prematurePilot in command
Stall/mush - encounteredPilot in command
Nose overTakeoff
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterTakeoff

Analysis

The pilot, conducting fish guiding operations under 14 CFR part 91, attempted to takeoff across the short part of the lake into an 8 knot headwind. The airplane became airborne but settled back onto the water beyond the point of no return. The floats struck the shoreline and they separated from the airplane. The airplane nosed over onto the bank.

Factual narrative

On August 5, 1994, at 1645 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 206 airplane, N5120X, registered to and operated by John (Jack) Holman of No See Um Lodge, King Salmon, Alaska, and piloted by Mark Kniprath of Sterling, Alaska, struck the shoreline of Crosswind Lake, located 60 miles northeast of King Salmon, during the takeoff run. The business flight, conducting fish guiding operations under 14 CFR Part 91, was departing the Lake and the destination was the Lodge located on the Kvichak River. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The Commercial Certificated Pilot and the three passengers were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage.

According to the pilot, he was taking off to the southeast into an estimated 8 knot head wind. The takeoff direction was across the short part of the lake. The airplane became airborne and then settled back onto the water after it passed the point of no return. The airplane struck the shoreline, ripped the floats off and nosed over onto the bank.

The owner was sent an NTSB Form 6120.1/2 and he returned it with a note stating the pilot could not complete it because he was out of town. The owner did not provide any airplane information on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2.

Aircraft

Registration
N5120X
Reported as
Cessna 206
Category
Airplane
Serial number
U20605572
Engine
Continental IO-520-F, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Registered owner
No See Um Lodge
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Destination
Kvichak River, AK

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
34
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
1,200 total · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
150° at 8 knots
Visibility
50 statute miles
Temperature
64 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.