Cessna 180A N9732B

Summary

On 6 May 2001 at about 20:45 local time, a Cessna 180A registered N9732B, operated by Richard M. Pattison, was involved in an accident near Mercer Island, Washington, United States. 3 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

6 May 2001 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Mercer Island, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.5593, -122.2208

Aircraft

Cessna 180A

Registration

N9732B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Richard M. Pattison

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Roche Harbor → Mercer Island

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA01LA096

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate visual lookout during an approach and landing in open water. Factors include a large wave/swell at the location where the pilot elected to land his float-equipped airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After circling the area to observe the water conditions, the pilot executed a water landing in his float-equipped airplane. He touched down in relatively calm conditions, but almost immediately encountered a large wave/swell that he had not noticed from the air. The aircraft was momentarily launched back into the air, and the pilot applied full power for a go-around. Although the pilot initiated a go-around, the aircraft had already slowed to a point where it could not maintain flight. It therefore dropped back to the surface of the water with sufficient force to cause substantial damage to the aircraft structure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.