- Date
- June 27, 2010, 08:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place
- Brainerd, MN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7691MCessna 175
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 19, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100627038119A
- Case key
- 76469
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 loss of airplane control while taking off with gusting wind.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that he was attempting a takeoff from a lake in choppy water and with gusting wind when the left wing of the airplane contacted the water after liftoff. The airplane then impacted in a nose-down attitude resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and separation of both floats. No preexisting mechanical anomalies were found with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was attempting a takeoff from Lake Alexandria in choppy water and gusting wind conditions when the left wing of the airplane contacted the water after liftoff. The airplane then impacted in a nose down attitude resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and separation of both floats. The winds at the time of the accident were reported: 290 degrees at 15 knots with gusts of 21 knots. No mechanical anomalies were found with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7691M
- Reported as
- Cessna 175
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 55991
- Airframe hours
- 3,117
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pilot
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2010
- Departed
- Brainerd, MN
- Destination
- Brainerd, MN
- Airport
- Lake Alexandria
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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 7, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 135 total · 65 in this make and model · 110 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.61 inHg
- Observed at
- BRD, 3 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 15, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 754 KB in all.
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 N7691M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.