# NTSB ANC98LA108: Cessna 206, N206F, Anchorage, AK, July 23, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 23, 1998, 14:32 local (22:32 UTC) - Place: Anchorage, AK - Coordinates: 61.110595, -149.899627 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.1106&lon=-149.8996&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 28, 1999 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 43541 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC98LA108 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43541/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC98LA108 ## Probable cause The pilot's delay in aborting the takeoff prior to reaching the end of the lake. A factor associated with the accident was a downdraft. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, takeoff - initial climb - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor) - aborted takeoff - delayed, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, takeoff - initial climb - object - tree(s) - object - vehicle ## Analysis The pilot was departing from a lake. He stated that, once airborne, the airplane would not climb. As the airplane neared the end of the lake, the pilot said that the airplane would not maintain altitude, forcing him to land on a road in a housing development adjacent to the departure end of the lake. The pilot said: 'I just hit a downdraft at the end of the lake. I just couldn't climb out.' The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane, and that the engine was producing sufficient power. During the landing, the airplane struck a tree and a pickup truck with two occupants inside. The two occupants of the pickup truck were not injured. The pilot said the wind conditions at the time of the accident were from the southeast at 10 knots, with peak gusts to 15 knots. ## Factual narrative On July 23, 1998, about 1432 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 206 airplane, N206F, sustained substantial damage during takeoff from Campbell Lake, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The certificated airline transport pilot was not injured. The pilot-rated passenger aboard received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was en route to Telequana Lake, Alaska. During an on scene interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge, on July 23, the pilot reported that he started the takeoff run with 10 degrees of flaps, and once on the step, he extended the flaps to 20 degrees. He stated that once airborne, the airplane would not climb. As the airplane neared the end of the lake, the pilot said that the airplane would not maintain altitude, forcing him to land on a road in a housing development adjacent to the departure end of the lake. During the interview the pilot said: "I just hit a downdraft at the end of the lake. I just couldn't climb out." The pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane, and that the engine was producing sufficient power. During the landing, the airplane struck a tree and a pickup truck with two occupants inside. The two occupants of the pickup truck were not injured. The pilot stated the wind conditions at the time of the accident were from the southeast at 10 knots, with peak gusts to 15 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N206F](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N206F), registered now, S/N U20603015, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 206 - Registry model: [Cessna U206F](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-u206f) (registry code 2073333) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2063015 - Airframe hours: 6421 - Engines: Continental IO-520-F 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Michael Patrick Murphy - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 25, 1998 - Destination: PORT ALSWORTH, AK - Airport: L-1A, Campbell Lake ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; flight engineer, commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 15,000 total, 650 in this make and model, 12,500 as pilot in command, 300 in the last 90 days, 100 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980723016989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980723016989A), Jul 23, 1998: Cessna U206F, Anchorake, AK, Substantial damage. Wind shift after water takeoff. Settled into subdivision. Hit tree, pickup and lightpole. The airline transport pilot was departing from a lake in a float… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.