- Date
- September 2, 1995, 11:25 local (18:25 UTC)
- Place
- Blakely Island, WA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N62SJde Havilland DHC-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 14, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950902046939A
- Case key
- 42238
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 inadequate compensation for wind conditions during takeoff. A factor was the sudden change in wind direction.
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 reported that during the water takeoff the winds changed from a headwind to a quartering tailwind. One float dug into the water, and the aircraft turned toward the shore. The pilot was unable to stop the aircraft before it impacted the shoreline.
Factual narrative
On September 2, 1995, approximately 1125 Pacific daylight time, a float-equipped DeHavilland DHC-2, N62SJ, collided with the shoreline while attempting a takeoff near Blakely Island, Washington. The airline transport pilot and his passenger received minor injuries, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The personal pleasure flight, which was departing for an undetermined destination, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported that the ELT activated but it did not assist in locating the accident.
According to the FAA inspector who talked with the pilot, the pilot was beginning the takeoff run when he experienced a headwind which suddenly switched to a quartering tailwind. When the wind direction changed, one of the aircraft's floats dug into the water, and the aircraft turned toward the shore. The pilot was not able to stop the aircraft before it impacted the shoreline.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N62SJ
- Reported as
- de Havilland DHC-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 710
- Engine
- P&W R-985-148BA, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sherman, Bill, doing business as Group III Aircraft, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Group 3 Aircraft Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 8, 1995 · 22 hours before
- Destination
- Lake Sammamish, WA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,763 total · 335 in this make and model · 7,010 as pilot in command · 64 in the last 90 days · 36 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.