De Havilland BEAVER DHC 2 MK.1
Kotzebue, AK — September 20, 2019
Event Information
| Date | September 20, 2019 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA19CA562 |
| Event ID | 20190922X10702 |
| Location | Kotzebue, AK |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 66.88472, -162.59805 |
| Airport | Ralph Wien Memorial |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | De Havilland |
| Model | BEAVER DHC 2 MK.1 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff from water after the airplane impacted a submerged object, which resulted in insufficient airspeed for liftoff and led to the pilot steering the airplane toward a mud embankment to avoid rocks.
Full Narrative
The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff from a lake, after the floats came up on the step, the right float struck a submerged bog or tundra which resulted in a brief deceleration of speed. After the float cleared the submerged bog, the airplane accelerated again, but the airspeed was not sufficient for liftoff, so the pilot aborted the takeoff. As the airplane approached rocks at the north edge of the lake, he steered the airplane to the right onto a mud embankment and slid to a stop short of the adjacent airport's taxiway.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.