Summary
On May 30, 2013, a Cessna U206G (N77206) was involved in an incident near King Salmon, AK. All 3 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 inadequate airspeed control during a glassy water landing, which resulted in an excessive sink rate, and a hard landing.
The pilot was landing the float-equipped airplane at a remote lake. He stated that during the initial approach, he noticed the lake was extremely glassy. He set up for a glassy water landing with an indicated airspeed of 60 knots, and a descent rate of 100 to 200 feet per minute. After he crossed the shoreline, he noticed his airspeed had decreased to between 50 and 55 knots, and his rate of descent was more than 200 feet per minute. He added power to correct the condition, but the airplane hit the water hard and bounced. He said that he started to go around, but decided that his angle of attack was too high, and he reduced the power and let the airplane contact the water again. The airplane bounced again, then settled into the water and came to a stop.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ANC13CA053. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N77206.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's inadequate airspeed control during a glassy water landing, which resulted in an excessive sink rate, and a hard landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot was landing the float-equipped airplane at a remote lake. He stated that during the initial approach, he noticed the lake was extremely glassy. He set up for a glassy water landing with an indicated airspeed of 60 knots, and a descent rate of 100 to 200 feet per minute. After he crossed the shoreline, he noticed his airspeed had decreased to between 50 and 55 knots, and his rate of descent was more than 200 feet per minute. He added power to correct the condition, but the airplane hit the water hard and bounced. He said that he started to go around, but decided that his angle of attack was too high, and he reduced the power and let the airplane contact the water again. The airplane bounced again, then settled into the water and came to a stop. During the landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ANC13CA053