Incident Details
The pilot of an air taxi was dispatched to a beach area with the task of picking up passengers. After landing, the passengers and their baggage were loaded, and the pilot initiated a takeoff. The beach surface featured humps of gravel at both the upper and lower ends, which gradually merged into the sand. During the takeoff roll, the wheel on the side of the aircraft that was facing down the beach struck one of these gravel humps. This impact caused the aircraft to bounce into the air. Subsequently, the aircraft settled into a yawing attitude, encountered loose gravel, and then went into the water.
Environmental Factors
According to reports, there was intense competition among air taxi operators for the lucrative business in this area. Additionally, the beach conditions were reported to change with the tides, which likely affected the surface characteristics.