Cessna U206G N45WT

Summary

On 24 May 2007 at about 20:30 local time, a Cessna U206G registered N45WT was involved in an accident near Leeville, Louisiana, United States. 4 people were on board. One person on the ground also died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 May 2007 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Leeville, Louisiana, United States

Nearest airport

Bayou Fourchon (1LA4)

Coordinates

29.2392, -89.9792

Aircraft

Cessna U206G

Registration

N45WT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Leeville → Venice

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW07LA120

Injuries not recorded.

The failure of the operator of the powerboat to maintain separation from the departing floatplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The single-engine floatplane collided with a power boat during a water takeoff. The floatplane was departing a privately owned water strip located on a waterway, when an 18 foot powerboat entered the waterway from an intersecting canal and crossed ahead of the floatplane's take-off path. The powerboat then executed a U-turn in front of the aircraft. The 12,911 hour airline transport pilot attempted to avoid the powerboat by attempting to take-off prematurely in order to avoid impacting the powerboat. One of the passenger witnesses stated that they were up to very close take-off speed when he saw the boat approaching at a high rate of speed from the canal. Another passenger stated that he heard a statement from the front passenger "do you have the boat?" and the pilot replied "He's turning into us!" The amphibian float impacted the boat causing the floatplane to nose-over as it impacted the water. A witness, who was standing on the shore, observed the floatplane preparing for takeoff and observed the powerboat execute a 180-degree turn in front of the floatplane. The floatplane sustained structural damage and came to rest partly submerged. The sole occupant of the boat was fatally injured.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.