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Summer Float Flying PDF Print E-mail
Friday, 18 May 2007
With summer time quickly approaching now is a good time to review some of the mistakes made by others.  Nothing can be more satisfying than landing on a remote lake or more horrifying than having an incident/accident mile away from civilization.

A Cessna 180 on floats was landing westbound on the Fraser River at the Pitt Meadows float base. Shortly after the aircraft descended out of the tower controller's view, behind a tree line along the riverbank, an ELT signal was received in the control tower. The left float had dug in upon touchdown and the aircraft nosed-over and eventually became inverted. The two occupants had time to exit the cabin and were rescued uninjured by a water taxi about 40 minutes after the accident. Both occupants had been wearing the lap and shoulder restraint belts, and the pilot was wearing an inflatable coat.


 A DHC-2 Beaver on floats was en route from Holinshead Lake to Kashishibog when the pilot encountered deteriorating weather conditions. As the flight progressed, the ceiling became increasingly lower until it was nearly at tree top level. Shortly thereafter the pilot located a cabin at the destination outpost camp. On final approach to the camp, the aircraft struck the water while in a turn, tearing off one float, and it eventually sank. The pilot and four passengers exited the aircraft and attempted to swim ashore. While swimming, one of the passengers went missing and was not located.


The crew of a Bombardier CL-415 was taxiing for departure at Pickle Lake, Ontario, for a local firefighting flight. As the aircraft was manoeuvring, its left wingtip struck a standing Bell 205A helicopter, which was parked on the ramp. No injuries resulted. The CL-415 sustained damage to its left wing. The Bell 205A sustained damage to its main rotor system.


 A DHC-2 Beaver amphibious float-equipped aircraft departed the Sudbury airport, in Ontario, and was destined to Lake Temagami. After takeoff, the landing gear was not retracted. Upon touchdown on the water surface at Lake Temagami, the aircraft nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. Egress from the aircraft was unhampered and the uninjured pilot was picked up by boaters who observed the occurrence.


A DHC-2 Beaver on floats began to take off from Victoria Harbour with two pilots and five passengers onboard. During the latter stages of the take-off slide, the aircraft began to turn markedly to the left and the pilot aborted the take-off run. The pilot taxied the Beaver back to the start of the take-off area and began a second takeoff. About halfway along the take-off slide, the pilot was again unable to maintain directional control, and the aircraft turned quickly to the left. The pilot aborted the takeoff but could not prevent the right wing from striking the water, causing the wing tip to dig in and the left float to become briefly airborne. The aircraft remained upright and the pilot taxied back to the dock and deplaned the passengers. During takeoff, the pilot reportedly had used full right rudder and full right rudder trim. At the time of the incident, the wind was a direct left crosswind.


A Cessna 180 on floats was departing Tofino harbour. As the aircraft floats came out of the water onto the step, the right wing began to rise and the right float came out of the water. The aircraft began turning to the left towards a barge. The pilot reduced engine power to idle to abort the takeoff, but was unable to avoid a metal beam sticking out from the barge. The left wing struck the metal beam and the right wing struck the water, causing it to bend up. There were no injuries to anyone on the aircraft or the barge. The aircraft was towed back to the docks.


After a short flight, the pilot of a Cessna 180 on floats landed on a lake and started taxiing to the dock when the left float rapidly filled with water. The aircraft nosed over and sank. The two occupants on board exited the aircraft safely and were taken to shore by boat. There were no injuries. The pilot suspects the plug for the left front float compartment went missing sometime during the brief flight

 

 
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