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| Date: | Friday 3 September 1999 |
| Time: | 19:30 LT |
| Type: |  Cessna 207 |
| Owner/operator: | Clearwater Air, Inc. |
| Registration: | N800DF |
| MSN: | 20700621 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1980 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 8234 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-520F |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Ninilchik, AK -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Chinitna Bay, AK |
| Soldotna, AK (SXQ) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The airplane was taking off from a sand beach. The on-demand fishing charter flight was about one hour late, and the incoming tide had reduced the width of the available takeoff area. During the takeoff roll, the left wingtip struck a tree stump on the high side of the beach, separating about four feet of wing and the left aileron. The commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. The remaining two passengers received minor injuries. During a telephone interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot stated that the winds were from the southwest at 10 knots, and he was taking off to the west. The NTSB IIC held telephone interviews with, and received written statements from, the passengers. They indicated that the pilot was in a hurry because of the incoming tide, and the late schedule. The pilot was taking off into the setting sun, and was not wearing sunglasses. According to the passengers, the pilot said he would wait for the sun to pass behind a cloud, but decided to depart.
Probable Cause: The pilot's selection of an unsuitable takeoff area. A factor associated with this accident was the sunglare.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ANC99LA132
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 23 January 2012 | N800DF | Rediske Air | 0 | McGahan Industrial Airpark- AK73, Nikiski, AK | |
sub |
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Mar-2024 13:15 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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