Narrative:

While inbound to unalaska airport for landing, I received a WX update from the contract WX observer at unalaska airport. His report is stated above. The winds were reported as 020 degrees at 5 KTS. I noted that they appeared somewhat stronger in the harbor at perhaps 10 KTS. Rather than take the direct crosswind (northeast winds tend to be gusty and somewhat unpredictable), I chose to land in the water. This decision was made late in my approach (I was right base) for runway 30 at unalaska airport. This involved reconfiguring the aircraft for a water landing. Also, I needed to determine if there were any other aircraft in the area (unalaska is uncontrolled) that my change of plans would affect. I was now turning downwind to base for a landing northeast in the harbor and began to increase my rate of descent. While turning a short final I noticed a boat wake running in toward my point of intended landing. Rather than go around, I chose to shorten my approach to (beat the wake onto the water) so to speak. The shortened approach brought me within 50 ft of a fuel dock. At not time was there any doubt as to the safety of the landing, however, in retrospect, I would have gone around for a landing on the runway so as to avoid the wake and overflying the dock at such a close distance. I feel my decision to shorten the approach was brought about by a desire not to seem indecisive and change plans 2 times in 1 approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW FLT ON APCH OVER FUEL DOCK IN A WATER OP LNDG PROC.

Narrative: WHILE INBOUND TO UNALASKA ARPT FOR LNDG, I RECEIVED A WX UPDATE FROM THE CONTRACT WX OBSERVER AT UNALASKA ARPT. HIS RPT IS STATED ABOVE. THE WINDS WERE RPTED AS 020 DEGS AT 5 KTS. I NOTED THAT THEY APPEARED SOMEWHAT STRONGER IN THE HARBOR AT PERHAPS 10 KTS. RATHER THAN TAKE THE DIRECT XWIND (NE WINDS TEND TO BE GUSTY AND SOMEWHAT UNPREDICTABLE), I CHOSE TO LAND IN THE WATER. THIS DECISION WAS MADE LATE IN MY APCH (I WAS R BASE) FOR RWY 30 AT UNALASKA ARPT. THIS INVOLVED RECONFIGURING THE ACFT FOR A WATER LNDG. ALSO, I NEEDED TO DETERMINE IF THERE WERE ANY OTHER ACFT IN THE AREA (UNALASKA IS UNCTLED) THAT MY CHANGE OF PLANS WOULD AFFECT. I WAS NOW TURNING DOWNWIND TO BASE FOR A LNDG NE IN THE HARBOR AND BEGAN TO INCREASE MY RATE OF DSCNT. WHILE TURNING A SHORT FINAL I NOTICED A BOAT WAKE RUNNING IN TOWARD MY POINT OF INTENDED LNDG. RATHER THAN GAR, I CHOSE TO SHORTEN MY APCH TO (BEAT THE WAKE ONTO THE WATER) SO TO SPEAK. THE SHORTENED APCH BROUGHT ME WITHIN 50 FT OF A FUEL DOCK. AT NOT TIME WAS THERE ANY DOUBT AS TO THE SAFETY OF THE LNDG, HOWEVER, IN RETROSPECT, I WOULD HAVE GONE AROUND FOR A LNDG ON THE RWY SO AS TO AVOID THE WAKE AND OVERFLYING THE DOCK AT SUCH A CLOSE DISTANCE. I FEEL MY DECISION TO SHORTEN THE APCH WAS BROUGHT ABOUT BY A DESIRE NOT TO SEEM INDECISIVE AND CHANGE PLANS 2 TIMES IN 1 APCH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.