Summary
On September 03, 2007, a Aeronca S15AC (N1118H) was involved in an incident near Shelton, WA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's loss of control during takeoff following the inadvertent encounter with a boat's wake.
On September 3, 2007, about 1431 Pacific daylight time, a float equipped Aeronca S15AC, N1118H, impacted the water following a loss of control during a water takeoff from Mason Lake, near Shelton, Washington. The float plane was owned and operated by the pilot, and it was substantially damaged. Neither the commercial pilot nor passenger was injured during the personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was performed under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and it was commencing at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that during takeoff on the lake the front portion of the left float caught the wake from a boat.
This incident is documented in NTSB report LAX07CA264. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N1118H.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's loss of control during takeoff following the inadvertent encounter with a boat's wake.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On September 3, 2007, about 1431 Pacific daylight time, a float equipped Aeronca S15AC, N1118H, impacted the water following a loss of control during a water takeoff from Mason Lake, near Shelton, Washington. The float plane was owned and operated by the pilot, and it was substantially damaged. Neither the commercial pilot nor passenger was injured during the personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was performed under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and it was commencing at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that during takeoff on the lake the front portion of the left float caught the wake from a boat. Thereafter, the airplane swerved left. The pilot attempted to, but was unsuccessful at, correcting the flight path, and directional control was lost. The airplane's right wing tip impacted the water. The airplane swerved farther left and was damaged.
Following recovery of the airplane, an estimated 2-foot-long span of the right wing's leading edge, outbound section, was found crushed in an aft direction. Also, the inboard, aft portion of the right wing was buckled. About 1/3 of the forward portion of both floats was bent upward.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# LAX07CA264