Helio H-395 accident near Igiugig, Alaska, July 20, 1999
On July 20, 1999 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Helio H-395, registered N4198D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Igiugig, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during the downwind to upwind taxi turn. Factors associated with this accident were the high crosswind, the pilot's improper use of flaps, and his self-induced pressure because he was behind schedule.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1999 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Igiugig, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Helio H-395 · all H-395s on the register
- Registration
- N4198D · no longer on the register · serial 592
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted to takeoff from a lake, with a 25 knot left crosswind. The first attempt was made close to shore, in the shelter of a bank on the lake's edge. The pilot told the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) that the airplane's nose would not turn right, so he aborted the takeoff. He water taxied the airplane with the flaps set to the 1/2 position, farther downwind into the lake. He began to turn left, into the wind, and the wind lifted the left wing. The pilot said he added power, the right float dug into the water, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot indicated he was late, in a hurry, and should not have taxied in high winds with the flaps extended.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 3,300 as pilot in command; 331 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 1999
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-G1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kukaklek Lake AK at 6:05 pm
- Destination: LKK Kulik Lk Lodge AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC99LA095.