ANC97LA073

The pilot was departing a beach area in a tailwheel equipped airplane to begin a fish spotting flight. A crosswind of about 15 knots was noted by the pilot from the left side of the airplane. After liftoff, the crosswind caused the airplane to go to the right, and the pilot banked the airplane to the left. The left wing struck the ground, and the airplane received damage to the left wing and propeller.

On May 3, 1997, about 1045 Alaska daylight time, a tundra tire equipped Bellanca 8GCBC, N86801, crashed during takeoff about 37 miles south-southwest of Togiak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area business flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The airplane, operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot, and the sole passenger, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

On May 8, 1997, at 0840, the pilot reported in a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), that he was conducting fish spotting activities, and landed on a remote strip of beach known as Asigyukpak Spit. During the takeoff from the beach in a northeast direction, the pilot noted a left crosswind he estimated at fifteen knots. After liftoff, the crosswind turned the airplane toward the right, and toward the water. The pilot banked the airplane to the left, lowering the left wing. The wind from the left also pushed the wing downward, and the wing struck the sand. The pilot reported the airplane received damage to the leading edge of the wing, and the propeller.

The pilot indicated that after the accident, the airplane was retrieved from the beach by landing craft, and transported to Dillingham, Alaska. The pilot reported that the airplane received additional damage to the wing during the retrieval.

On May 15, 1997, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations inspector, Anchorage Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), reported he inspected the accident airplane in Dillingham, Alaska. The left wing exhibited damage to the leading edge, and the outboard and inboard ends of the wing spar.

In a telephone conversation on June 25, 1997, at 1010, the passenger of the accident airplane reported he inspected the left wing at the accident site. His inspection revealed the outboard wing compression strut was bent.

The manufacturer of the airplane reported the wing compression strut is a load bearing portion of the wing, and is considered to be a structural part of the wing.

The NTSB pilot/operator report (NTSB form 6120.1/2) sent to the pilot was not returned.