STERLING, AK, USA
N206EJ
CESSNA 206
N7KA
PIPER PA-18-150
THE PILOT OF CESSNA 206 FLOATPLANE, N206EJ, MADE A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON A RIVER AND DEPARTED IN A SOUTHBOUND DIRECTION. HE THEN BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST. IN THE SAME VICINITY, THE PILOT OF PIPER PA-18, N7KA, WAS IN LEVEL FLIGHT ON A WESTERLY HEADING AT ABOUT 1,000 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TWO AIRPLANES CONVERGED. JUST BEFORE COLLIDING, THE PA-18 PILOT SAW THE CESSNA 206. HE IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP INTO A CLIMB, BUT THE OUTBOARD RIGHT WINGTIP OF THE CESSNA CONTACTED THE LEFT TIRE OF THE PA-18. BOTH AIRPLANES CONTINUED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE DEPARTURE AIRPORTS AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE WEATHER CONDITION AT THE TIME WAS REPORTED AS 4,000 TO 5,000 FEET SCATTERED; VISIBILITY 10 MILES. THE SUN WAS LOCATED ON A 277 DEGREE HEADING FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE AND 16.2 DEGREES ABOVE THE HORIZON.
On August 3, 1995, about 2000 Alaska daylight time, a float equipped Cessna 206, N206EJ, collided with a tundra tire equipped Piper PA-18-150, N7KA, about 1,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), about 1 mile east of Sterling, Alaska. The accident area was near the intersection of the Moose river and the Kenai river. N206EJ was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) local area personal flight that departed Lake Hood Seaplane base, Anchorage, Alaska, about 1900. N7KA was being operated as a VFR local area personal flight that departed Soldotna airport, Soldotna, Alaska, about 1900. N206EJ, received substantial damage. N7KA was not damaged. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant of N206EJ, was not injured. The certificated private pilot and the sole passenger of N7KA were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot of N206EJ reported that he was practicing takeoff and landings and had just departed the Moose River in a southbound direction. He then began a climbing left turn toward the northeast. The pilot of N7KA indicated that he was in level flight on a westerly heading, following the north side of the Kenai river. He noticed N206EJ to the left and below his airplane and immediately pulled up into a climb. The outboard right wingtip of N206EJ contacted the left tire of N7KA. Both airplanes continued to their respective departure airports and landed without further incident. The pilot of N206EJ indicated that he announced his intentions on a radio frequency of 122.9 while conducting his takeoff and landings. The pilot of N7KA indicated that he had been monitoring the Soldotna, Alaska, Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) radio frequency but had changed to 122.9 at the end of N206EJ's position report and did not hear the entire transmission. Both pilot's reported that the weather conditions at the time consisted of scattered clouds between 4,000 to 5,000 feet; visibility, 10 miles; temperature, 60 degrees F; wind, 180 degrees at 7 to 10 knots. The position of the sun at the time of the accident was computed to be on a 277 degree heading from the accident site and 16.2 degrees above the horizon.
FAILURE OF BOTH PILOT'S TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT. THE LOW ANGLE OF THE SUN WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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