- Date
- August 23, 2022, 15:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Egegik, AK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6455XCessna 180
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20220823014999A
- Case key
- 105837
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 failure to maintain directional control during takeoff from a lake.
Findings · 2
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 in the float equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff into the wind from a lake, the left wing suddenly lifted. The pilot attempted to correct with aileron input; however, the right wing contacted the water. The floatplane nosed over and partially sank. The left wing was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6455X
- Reported as
- Cessna 180 (D)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18050955
- Built
- 1961
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Tracy Vrem
- Registered owner
- Great Basin Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- None
- Destination
- AA05 · Narrows, AK
- Airport
- PAII · Egegik Airport
- 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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 1, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 20,654 total · 2,350 in this make and model · 15,875 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 15 knots, gusting 10
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.77 inHg
- Observed at
- PFWS, 33 nm away
- METAR
- PFWS 232056Z AUTO 14011G14KT 10SM BKN070 16/11 A2977 RMK AO2 SLP122 T01560111 51006
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 47.2 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.
Other investigations on N6455X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.