- Date
- July 16, 2001, 17:55 local (Jul 17, 2001, 00:55 UTC)
- Place
- Oregon City, OR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N918TFPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 20, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010716016519A
- Case key
- 52737
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 front seat (pilot-in-command's) inadequate visual lookout during step taxi resulting in the aircraft's collision with a partially submerged log. A contributing factor was the log and it's lack of any conspicuous marking.
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
The non-floatplane rated private pilot-in-command (front seat), accompanied by an ATP rated flight instructor (rear seat), was step taxiing in preparation for takeoff on the Willamette River. During the step taxi the aircraft's right float impacted an unmarked, submerged log protruding about 15 inches above the water's surface. The right float was breached and the aircraft gradually nosed over and sank.
Factual narrative
On July 16, 2001, approximately 1755 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-12 floatplane, N918TF, registered to an individual, and being flown by a private non-floatplane rated pilot accompanied by a floatplane rated airline transport rated flight instructor, sustained substantial damage when the aircraft impacted a log during step taxi in daylight conditions on the Willamette River, Oregon City, Oregon. Both pilots exited the aircraft as it sank, and were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was instructional, was operated under 14CFR91, and originated locally on the late afternoon of the accident.
The airline transport rated pilot, a certified flight instructor, reported that the pilot under instruction (seated forward) had just landed on the Willamette River, reversed direction and was step taxiing to takeoff when the aircraft's right float impacted a tree stump protruding approximately 15 inches above the surface of the water. He stated that he felt the impact and the aircraft's right float became airborne while the left wing dipped. The left wing then impacted the water and the aircraft came to a stop upright in the water. The right float, which had been breached, began to fill with water and the aircraft gradually nosed over while sinking. The engine was shut down and both pilots evacuated before the aircraft became inverted (refer to attached statements of both pilots).
Clackamas County Sheriff's personnel reported locating a deadhead (submerged log) in the river measuring 1.5 to 2 feet in diameter and oriented with the end of the log protruding from the surface of the river and downstream. Additionally, white paint transfer and a small piece of embedded aluminum were noted at the log's end (refer to attached Sheriff's report). The log had no marking or identifying buoy.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N918TF
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-2232
- Airframe hours
- 2,113
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Nicolai, William S.
- Registered owner
- Jane G. Nicolai
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 3, 2000 · 172 hours before
- Departed
- 3S1 · Lake Oswego, OR
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- July 21, 2000
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 4,381 total · 13 in this make and model · 4,092 as pilot in command · 76 in the last 90 days · 29 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- November 4, 2000
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 11,161 total · 32 in this make and model · 6,947 as pilot in command · 255 in the last 90 days · 79 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- PDX, 15 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.
Other investigations on N918TF · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.