Anchorage Pilot Alice Rogoff Walked Away From The Floatplane Accident

The NTSB has released its preliminary report from an accident which occurred July 2 at Halibut Cove, AK, which severely damaged the Cessna 206 floatplane, but from which the pilot walked away uninjured.

The pilot has been identified as 64-year-old Alice Rogoff, the owner of the Alaska Dispatch News.

According to the report, on July 3, 2016, about 1753 Alaska daylight time, the float-equipped Cessna 206 airplane, N6251K, sustained substantial damage after impacting trees during an aborted landing in the ocean waters of Halibut Cove, Alaska. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained no injuries.

The airplane was registered to Umailik LLC, Anchorage, Alaska and operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed the Homer Airport, Homer, Alaska, about 1742 destined for Halibut Cove.

During a series of telephone interviews with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on July 4, various witnesses to the accident reported that as the accident airplane approached from the east, it briefly touched down in the calm, glassy waters of Halibut Cove, before becoming airborne again.

The witnesses consistently reported that after the airplane began a steep climb to the west, it veered sharply to the left while in a nose high attitude. As the airplane continued climbing in a south-southwest direction, it subsequently struck a large stand of trees on the southern shoreline of Halibut Cove. The witnesses said that during the collision sequence, the airplane's left float was severed, and the airplane immediately descended, nose first, into the waters of Halibut Cove. The airplane subsequently struck the water about 100 feet from a commercial tour vessel that was operating within Halibut Cove.

The pilot was able to free herself from the partially submerged and sinking wreckage, and rescuers were able to reach the airplane just moments after the accident and provide assistance.

The witness's observations were supported by numerous photographs that were subsequently provided to the NTSB IIC.

The closest weather reporting facility is Homer Airport, Homer, Alaska, about 11 miles northwest of the accident site. At 1753, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) from the Homer Airport was reporting in part: wind from 260 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 14 knots; sky condition, broken clouds at 2,600 feet; visibility, 10 statute miles; temperature 61 degrees F, dewpoint 48 degrees F; altimeter, 29.92 inHg.

(Image from file. Not accident airplane)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov