Analyzing the seaplane crash in the San Juan Islands

[00:00:00]11 people are alive after a Kenmore Air float plane crashed and burst into flames in the San Juan Islands. Everyone on board survived after the pilot made an emergency landing near Sucia Island.

[00:00:13]FAA licensed pilot and attorney Jimmy Anderson is joining us live. Jimmy, thanks for being here this morning as we look into this investigation. You work on cases specifically involving these aviation accidents. As you look at the witness videos that we've been seeing, what are the things that immediately stand out to you as a pilot about what happened?

[00:00:36]>> You know, it's amazing that we get these videos now. That isn't something that we routinely had before. And so, to be able to watch the final moments of that aircraft's flight before it impacts the water is it gives us a lot of information. One of the things we can see is that it is not a stabilized approach and it's not a stable landing as it comes in.

[00:00:56]>> Right. So, we kind of see the plane wobbling and then the pilot makes that emergency landing.

[00:01:02]Incredibly, everyone on board we could see getting out of that floatplane and then it erupts into flames. What else are you paying attention to as this investigation begins?

[00:01:14]>> You know, one of the things we're going to be paying attention to is why did the aircraft have to make an emergency landing?

[00:01:20]What conditions caused that? And we'll kind of separate our investigation into three parts. We'll look at the operator and the pilot in one group. We'll look at the aircraft itself in another group.

[00:01:32]And then in a third group, we'll take a look at the environment, the weather, the water, all those things.

[00:01:37]Add to that in a lot of seaplane crashes, we are looking at survivability and crashworthiness of the aircraft itself, the airframe itself.

[00:01:47]>> How common are floatplane crashes, Jimmy?

[00:01:51]>> Um, they're not common, but they're not uncommon. And and And kind of I was looking back through the crashes that I've done in the San Juan and surrounding area and I've got four or five in, you know, probably about 10 years. And so they're they're not uncommon. I know that I was talking to Glenn Farley a while back. It was probably 10 years ago about the last Kenmore crash that went down in the San Juans.

[00:02:20]>> When you see the seaplane crash into the rocks off Sucia Island, um it's amazing that everyone on board was able to get out and and fortunately before this plane burst into flames.

[00:02:36]What do you What do you make of that?

[00:02:38]The fact that everybody was able to survive. What do you think as a pilot yourself about what that pilot was doing in the situation?

[00:02:45]>> I mean that pilot is trying to make sure that everybody survives that crash. And that as a pilot you're trying to operate the machine, get it to a safe place, and then make sure that everybody gets out as quickly and as safely as possible. So that's what you're thinking about. And for seaplane pilots, it's especially the case cuz they're not landing in a standard environment with firefighting equipment around and things like that.

[00:03:11]So there's a lot of extra considerations that they have to take into account.

[00:03:15]>> Jimmy Anderson, we appreciate your perspective this morning. Thanks for your time.

[00:03:19]>> Thanks for having >> We'll have live team coverage of the Kenmore airplane crash in the San Juans all morning long. You can stream live updates on the King 5 app. Download the app to your TV or phone to watch for free.