N7657X

Substantial
None

CESSNA 172BS/N: 17248157

Accident Details

Date
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
NTSB Number
SEA07CA235
Location
Seattle, WA
Event ID
20070912X01385
Coordinates
47.616664, -122.266670
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The private pilot's failure to see the approaching large wake swell, both during his landing and the subsequent takeoff, and the failure of the instructor pilot to insure that the private pilot's visual lookout was effective enough to detect the oncoming wake. Factors include a wake generated by a large boat.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
CESSNA
Serial Number
17248157
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1960
Model / ICAO
172BC172
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
4
FAA Model
172B

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
GORDON CHRISTOPHER R
Address
PO BOX 93
City
MOOSE PASS
State / Zip Code
AK 99631-0093
Country
United States

Analysis

During the floatplane instructional flight, the private pilot decided to make a practice landing and takeoff on a large lake. Although the landing on the calm water was uneventful, during the takeoff run, just before liftoff, the aircraft encountered the wake of a large boat. As the aircraft crossed the crest of the first wave of the wake, it became momentarily airborne, and then it impacted the advancing forward face of the second wave. At the moment of impact, four of the float attach fittings failed. The pilot therefore immediately aborted the takeoff, but the right wing impacted the surface of the water before the aircraft came to a stop. Neither the private pilot nor the instructor pilot that was supervising him had seen the large swell approaching during the landing, and during the takeoff run, neither of them noticed it until a few seconds prior to the time the aircraft impacted it.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# SEA07CA235