Zone

Crash of a Grumman G-44 Widgeon on Sanak Island

Date & Time: Dec 15, 1968 at 1310 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N148M
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1220
YOM:
1942
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
11500
Captain / Total hours on type:
3000.00
Circumstances:
While taking off from a lagoon off Sanak Island, the airplane failed to get airborne, struck the shore and crashed. All four occupants were injured, two of them seriously. The aircraft was written off.
Probable cause:
The accident was probably caused by the combination of the following factors:
- The pilot failed to obtain/maintain flying speed,
- Sudden windshift,
- Quartering tailwind up to 30 knots,
- The pilot attempted to takeoff from a lagoon at low tide.
Final Report: