- Date
- September 15, 2019, 12:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Toklat, AK
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6837ECessna 175
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 17, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190915022489A
- Case key
- 100292
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 and his subsequent exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff in variable, gusting wind conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Findings · 3
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 reported that, after departing from a lake and during the initial climb, the airplane seemed to experience a loss of lift. Uncertain what was causing the loss of lift, he turned left back toward the lake. As soon as the airplane turned, a wind gust hit the tail, and he lost airplane control. Subsequently, the airplane aerodynamically stalled and then impacted the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 10 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, during the initial climb, the airplane seemed to experience a loss of lift. Uncertain what was causing the loss of lift, he turned left back to the lake. As soon as the airplane turned, a gust hit the tail and he lost control of the airplane. The airplane aerodynamically stalled and the impacted the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 10 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The airplane was departing to the north.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6837E
- Reported as
- Cessna 175 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 56337
- Built
- 1960
- Airframe hours
- 3,336.2
- Engine
- Franklin 6A-350-CIR, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 12, 2019
- Departed
- Toklat, AK
- Destination
- ENN · Nenana, AK
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Handheld GPS
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
- 64
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- BasicMed, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 16, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 1,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Day
- Wind
- 80° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.52 inHg
- Observed at
- PANN, 35 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 22, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB 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.