- Date
- March 31, 1989, 15:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Sitka, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9182LBellanca 7GCBC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890331005109A
- Case key
- 40992
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 continuing the takeoff despite the large boat wake and gusting wind. A contributing factor was the pilot's low flight time in this type of aircraft.
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 pilot continued on-the-step taxi for takeoff on choppy water thru a large boat wake. The wake, combined with a gust of wind, lifted the left wing of the aircraft. The aircraft then became airborne about 10 feet AGL. The aircraft rolled to the right and the right wing contacted the water.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9182L
- Reported as
- Bellanca 7GCBC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 322-72
- Airframe hours
- 964
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Melvin J. Wisenor
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 3, 1989 · 942 hours before
- Departed
- AK29 · Sitka, AK
- Airport
- AK29 · Sitka Seaplane Base, runway 13, 4,000 × 200 ft, water
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
- 27
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 189 total · 19 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- SIT
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 N9182L · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.