Aviat Aircraft INC A 1 accident near Ketchikan, Alaska, July 26, 2014
On July 26, 2014 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1997 Aviat Aircraft INC A 1, registered N400HU, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Ketchikan, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to takeoff from a remote mountain lake in variable wind. Contributing to the accident was the pilots delayed decision to abort the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2014 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ketchikan, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Aircraft INC A 1 UNDESIGNAT, built 1997 · all A 1s on the register
- Registration
- N400HU · no longer on the register · serial 1346
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was departing from a remote mountain lake in an amphibious float-equipped airplane. Prior to departure he observed the wind out of the east, and began his takeoff run in an easterly direction. He stated that the airplane was slow to accelerate and unstable once on the step. He closed the throttle and aborted the takeoff, the airplane immediately yawed to the right, he applied left rudder and deployed the water rudders in an effort to correct for the yaw, but the right wing impacted a tree and swung the airplane into the shoreline. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and right lift strut. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. While awaiting rescue, the pilot noted that the wind reversed direction about the center of the lake, and he may have encountered a tailwind during the takeoff run. In the recommendation section of the NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1, the pilot stated that the accident may have been avoided if he had made the decision to abort the takeoff sooner.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Decision related to condition
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,180 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 2,740 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 20, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 2014
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 1,200 hours total
- Operator: Wild Bills Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: Ketchikan AK
- Destination: Ketchikan AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; a few clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.