De Havilland U-6A N8523

Summary

On 3 May 2000 at about 17:50 local time, a De Havilland U-6A registered N8523 was involved in an accident near Kenmore, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 May 2000 at 17:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Kenmore, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Kenmore Air Harbour Spb (WA57)

Coordinates

47.7505, -122.2403

Aircraft

De Havilland U-6A

Registration

N8523

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anacortes → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA00LA083

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during the landing roll. Contributing factors were the power wave created by the nearby yacht, the rough water conditions, and the pilot's loss of visual contact with the wave during the rollout.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was landing to the south on Lake Washington in between a buoy and a yacht. The yacht was making approximately 2 to 3 knots speed heading south. Winds were out of the south at 13 knots, gusting to 17 knots resulting in choppy water surface conditions. As the floatplane touched down, the yacht powered up creating a large bow wave. The aircraft contacted the wave during its southerly rollout and while decelerating in a nose high attitude. The encounter resulted in the aircraft's right wing contacting the water. Forward visibility was restricted as the nose of the aircraft was raised during the landing on water.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.