NTSB Factual Report

On August 14, 2017, about 0633 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna T207 airplane, N745KP, sustained substantial damage after it ditched in Auke Bay near Coghlan Island subsequent to a complete loss of engine power three miles west of the Juneau International Airport (JNU), Juneau, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as Flight 400 by Kalinin Aviation, LLC, dba Alaska Seaplanes, Juneau, as a scheduled commuter flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 and visual flight rules. The commercial pilot and four passengers sustained no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site and company flight following procedures were in effect. Flight 400 departed the Skagway Airport (SGY) in Skagway, Alaska, at 0547, destined for JNU.

During an interview on August 14 with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to transport passengers from the Haines Airport (HNS) in Haines, Alaska, and the Skagway Airport to JNU. The pilot said that as part of his preflight check, he measured the fuel tank levels with a dipstick and estimated his fuel at 26 gallons in the right fuel tank and 11 gallons in the left fuel tank. He stated that during his preflight that morning, he observed clean, clear fuel after he sumped both tanks and the gascolator. At about 0530 he departed HNS with one passenger and flew about 13 minutes to SGY. He departed SGY at 0547 with three more passengers and flew for about 45 minutes to a straight in VFR approach to runway 8 at JNU. The pilot stated that he placed the fuel selector valve on the right fuel tank for the entire flight.

The pilot stated that during the approach, at about 3 miles from the runway and 900 feet altitude, the engine fuel flow reduced to almost zero and the engine lost all power. He switched from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank and turned on the auxiliary fuel boost pump. Engine power was not restored and the pilot ditched the airplane near the southeast corner of Coghlan Island. Prior to landing, the pilot communicated his intentions to Juneau Air Traffic Control Tower. After the landing, the airplane remained upright and the passengers and pilot egressed through the front doors and swam about 80 feet to the shore. Neither the pilot nor passengers donned their life vests. The airplane then sank in about 70 feet of water. An Alaska Seaplanes Cessna 206 and a Coastal Helicopter Airbus AS-350 rescued the passengers and pilot within 30 minutes of ditching.

The airplane was recovered from the seafloor later that evening and transported to secure facility at JNU. The airframe sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The fuel tanks were drained of fuel and sea water under the supervision of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aviation safety inspector (ASI). Two gallons of aviation fuel were recovered from the right tank and eleven gallons from the left tank. On August 18, under the supervision of the NTSB IIC, a detailed airframe and engine examination was conducted with Cessna and Continental air safety investigators, the FAA ASI, and a representative from Alaska Seaplanes. Moderate wrinkling of each of the fuel tank bladders was present, with more extensive folds in the right fuel tank bladder. The engine ignition harness and magnetos were changed and the engine ran successfully.

The airplane was equipped with a Continental TSIO-520-G5B engine with a total time of 1436.6 hours. A Cessna T207 owner's manual addendum that was present in the airplane listed the unusable fuel as 2 gallons per tank.

At 0553, an aviation routine weather report from JNU (the closest weather reporting facility) reported, in part: wind 060 at 3 knots; visibility 10 statute miles in light rain; sky condition, few at 500 feet, scattered at 4,300 feet, overcast at 6,000 feet; temperature 52 ° F, dewpoint 52 ° F; altimeter, 29.78 in Hg.