Pilot Debrief

CESSNA T207A near King Salmon, AK — 2013-07-21

Final reportANC13LA066
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Date
2013-07-21
Location
King Salmon, AK, USA
Airport
PAKN
Aircraft
CESSNA T207A
Registration
N499K
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot’s inadequate visual lookout while departing from a multiple-use waterway, which resulted in a collision with a drifting boat. Contributing to the accident were the lack of visual conspicuity of the boat and the limited amount of time the boat operator had to maneuver the boat once he heard and saw the oncoming airplane.

NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting a scheduled commuter flight with six passengers on board the float-equipped airplane. The pilot began the takeoff going up the left side of the river and was aware of boats on the right side of the river. The pilot brought the airplane to the step-taxi position and then backed off the power with the intent to apply full power and take off once the airplane was past the boats. The airplane subsequently struck an18.5-ft open fishing boat and nosed over inverted in the water. The pilot and the passengers reported that they never saw the boat that the airplane hit. The boat operator reported that the boat was idling in neutral as it drifted downriver when he heard and then saw the airplane coming straight toward his boat. The boat operator put the boat into reverse to try to avoid the collision, but, as he backed the boat away, the airplane struck the front right side of it with its left float. The pilot noted that the boat (which was small and olive-drab colored) may have visually blended with other boats and seaplanes parked along the side of the river, and the boat operator said that seaplanes were sometimes difficult to hear when coming from downriver. Both the pilot and the boat operator were familiar with operating in the multiple-use waterway, and each of them were aware of the presence of both seaplane and boat traffic on the morning of the accident. There are no separate designated areas for seaplane traffic and boat traffic in the area in which the accident occurred, and there is no radio contact between the pilots and the boat operators. Although regulations specify right-of-way rules for aircraft and vessels conducting water operations and provide course alteration rules based on their respective positions, the pilot never saw the boat to determine its relative position, and, by the time the boat operator saw the airplane's position, the collision was imminent.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have maintained better visual awareness of surrounding boats during takeoff.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 9 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents9

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