- Date
- July 21, 2017, 17:20 local (21:20 UTC)
- Place
- New York, NY
- Injuries
- 9 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N802TWCessna 208
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 21, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 96276
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 airplane’s encounter with boat wake and multiple swells during a water takeoff.
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 of the float-equipped airplane reported that, during a water takeoff and about 50 knots, the airplane encountered boat wake, which caused the airplane to become airborne prematurely. He added that the airplane landed on a swell and became airborne again. During the second touchdown, the airplane struck another swell and touched down hard. The pilot aborted the takeoff. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The director of operations for the company reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, during a water takeoff, about 50 knots, the airplane encountered boat wake, which caused the airplane to become airborne prematurely. He added that the airplane landed on a swell and became airborne again. During the second touchdown, the airplane struck another swell, and touched down hard. The pilot aborted the takeoff. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The director of operations for the company reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N802TW
- Reported as
- Cessna 208 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20800300
- Built
- 1999
- Airframe hours
- 1,909.2
- Engine
- P&W PT6A SER, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Volo Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Tailwind Air Service LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 15, 2016
- Departed
- 6N7 · New York, NY
- Destination
- HTO · East Hampton, NY
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- 6N7 · New York Skyports Inc, runway N, 10,000 × 1,000 ft, water
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot
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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 16, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- KJRB, 3 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 18, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 11.8 MB in all.