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GAA17CA200

2017-03-22 · Ketchikan, Alaska, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 5KE

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The floatplane pilot's failure to avoid a buoy during takeoff.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that before the takeoff he taxied "out a little farther than normal" due to another airplane taxiing in the waterway. He added that as he advanced the throttle, his forward view changed as the airplane came onto step position and he subsequently observed a buoy in the takeoff path. The pilot immediately aborted the takeoff, but the right wing impacted the buoy. The pilot taxied back to the dock without further incident. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, before the takeoff, he taxied "out a little farther than normal" due to another airplane taxiing in the waterway. He added that, as he advanced the throttle, his forward view changed as the airplane came onto step position and that he subsequently saw a buoy in the takeoff path. The pilot immediately aborted the takeoff, but the right wing impacted the buoy. The pilot taxied back to the dock without further incident. The right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Task monitoring/vigilance-Pilot - C
  • C Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Sign/marker-Effect on operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2017_GAA17CA200.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.