Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning and inadequate compensation for the wind conditions. An initial tail wind and later a crosswind were factors in the accident.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot was landing a float equipped airplane in a small harbor adjacent to an ocean channel. The on-demand charter flight was transporting five passengers to a remote cabin. Due to large ocean swells in the channel, the pilot elected to land in the harbor and during the landing runout, encountered a tailwind that extended the water run. As the airplane traveled abeam a break in the shoreline at the harbor entrance, it was hit by an unexpected gust of wind from the right. The airplane began to turn toward the right. All attempts by the pilot to control the aircraft were ineffective. The airplane struck a beach area at the north end of the harbor.
Source record
Factual narrative
On September 17, 1994, at 1200 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped DeHavilland DHC2 Beaver airplane, N1433Z, registered to and operated by Rust's Flying Service of Anchorage, Alaska, collided with terrain while landing in a small harbor area of the Culross passage, approximately 18 miles east of Whittier, Alaska. The commercial certificated pilot-in-command and his five revenue passengers were not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The on-demand revenue flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 135, last departed Anchorage and the intended destination was the area in which the accident occurred. The pilot reported that visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was in effect. Due to large ocean swells in the Culross channel, the pilot elected to land in a small harbor adjacent to the channel. The pilot reported that during the landing runout, the plane encountered a tailwind that extended the water run. As the airplane traveled abeam a break in the shoreline at the harbor entrance, it was hit by an unexpected gust of wind from the right which effectively put the plane in a right turn. All efforts to control the turning (full left rudder, flaps up, water rudders down, throttle idle) were to no avail and the plane impacted a beach area at the north end of the harbor, bow first. All right side float struts were broken and the fuselage was essentially resting upon the right float. -