Pocono Summit, PA, USA
N46SW
RIchard Silva Seawind
The pilot reported that he attempted to take off from a lake with a 20- to 30-knot crosswind. A video of the takeoff showed that, as the right wing lifted, the left wingtip contacted the water. Subsequently, the seaplane bounced and impacted the water hard with the nose oriented to the left. The pilot was able to correct the course heading and continued to water taxi without further incident. The pilot added that he should not have departed in high crosswind conditions and admitted to pilot error. The seaplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who conducted a postaccident examination of the seaplane reported that he established flight control continuity and that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the seaplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The airline transport pilot of the amphibious airplane reported that he attempted to takeoff from a lake with a 20 to 30 knot crosswind. A video of the takeoff showed that as the right-wing lifted, the left-wing tip contacted the water; subsequently, the airplane bounced, touched down again hard with the nose oriented to the left. The pilot was able to correct course heading and continued to water taxi without further incident. The pilot added that he should not have departed in high crosswind conditions and admitted to pilot error. The seaplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.
The pilot's improper decision to attempt to take off from a lake in high crosswind conditions, which resulted in the right wing lifting, the left wing impacting the water, and the airplane bouncing and then impacting the water hard.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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