- Date
- September 2, 1995, 15:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Big Lake, AK
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9033LChampion 7GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 6, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19950902030479A
- Case key
- 2729
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 a proper rate of descent during the approach to land, and his misjudgment of altitude to flare for landing on glassy water. The glassy water condition was a related factor.
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.
Analysis
The pilot was landing on a lake in a float equipped airplane and was performing a curving approach to glassy water. During the landing approach, the airplane developed a high rate of descent. Just before touchdown, the pilot added engine power, but the airplane landed hard on the water. The airplane received damage to the left float, left float strut, and fuselage.
Factual narrative
On September 2, 1995, about 1530 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Champion 7GCBC, N9033L, crashed during landing on a lake, about 6 miles southwest of Big Lake, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight when the accident occurred. The airplane, owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at the Lake Hood Seaplane base, Anchorage, Alaska, about 1500.
The pilot reported that he was landing on 7 Mile Lake in a northeasterly direction and was performing a curving approach to glassy water. During the landing approach, the airplane developed a high rate of descent. Just before touchdown, the pilot added engine power but the airplane experienced a hard landing on the water. The airplane received damage to the left float, left float strut, and fuselage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9033L
- Reported as
- Champion 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 260-70
- Airframe hours
- 1,563
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jeffrey D. Zajicek
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 1, 1995 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- LHD · Anchorage, 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
- 30
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 480 total · 70 in this make and model · 360 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 90 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ANC, 18 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.
Other investigations on N9033L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.