- Date
- October 9, 1999, 08:15 local (12:15 UTC)
- Place
- N. East Carry, ME
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N35669Cessna 172I
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19991009046079A
- Case key
- 47556
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 decision to attempt a takeoff under gusty wind and rough water conditions.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During a water takeoff run, the airplane became airborne, the right wing dipped, and the right float hit a wave. The airplane became airborne again, then rolled right, and flipped over. The takeoff was attempted under gusty wind and rough water conditions, with swells in excess of 3 feet. The pilot wrote that the indicated airspeed after becoming airborne was 'not good,' and that he probably should have waited for the wind and water conditions to improve.
Factual narrative
On October 9, 1999, about 0815 Eastern Daylight Time, a float-equipped Cessna 172I, N35669, was substantially damaged during an attempted water takeoff from Moosehead Lake, near North East Carry, Maine. The certificated private pilot and the passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed for the local flight, which was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, the morning started out overcast and rainy. About 0745 the weather started to clear, and by 0800 the visibility was good, but it had become windy, and the surface of the lake was rough. After startup, the pilot water-taxied the airplane out of a cove, then started the takeoff run.
The pilot further stated:
"Plane came up onto step, and airspeed started to increase at this time. Plane went off a wave and became airborne, the right wing dipped and we hit a wave with the float. This caused us to become airborne again. Airspeed was not good and wind was gusting. I believe the high wing stalled. We rolled and struck the water."
The pilot also wrote that he "probably should [have] waited to see if wind and water would calm down."
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector reported that, at the time of the accident, swells on the lake were in excess of 3 feet.
Weather recorded at an airport about 130 degrees magnetic, 45 nautical miles from the accident site, 33 minutes after the accident, included winds from 230 degrees magnetic at 8 knots, gusting to 15 knots, with winds varying from 200 to 270 degrees magnetic. At the same time, winds recorded at an airport about 170 degrees magnetic, 75 miles from the accident site, were from 200 degrees magnetic, at 13 knots, gusting to 25 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35669
- Reported as
- Cessna 172I
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17256897
- Airframe hours
- 2,453
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William R. Brown, Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 2, 1999 · 33 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- ME12 · Livermore, ME
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
- 67
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 125 in this make and model · 1,000 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MLT, 45 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.