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19980704030769A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Conaer LA4250 · Wise, NC · July 4, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 4, 1998 · 11:00 local
Place
Wise, NC
Airport
Lake Gaston
Phase of flight
Takeoff Ground Roll
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N1401P
NTSB investigation
NTSBATL98LA100
Reported as
Conaer LA4250
Reported engine
Lycoming IO540*
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
180 total43 in this make and model51 in the last 90 days
N1401PRegistration cancelled Apr 19, 2018 · Aerofab LAKE LA-4-250S/N 12 · Built 1984Airframe modelAerofab LAKE LA-4-250Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)The pilot reported that while attempting a water takeoff from Lake Gaston, in halifax county, north carolina, the airplane encountered a boat wake. A right turn was made to parallel the wake, resulting in dragging the right sponson, and a water loop ensued. The FAA advisory circular 61-21A-flight training handbook discusses the forces that act on a seaplane during a crosswind takeoff. It states that the crosswind pushes the airplane sideways, acting along with the friction of the airplane on the water causing the airplane to weathervane into the wind. The turn is aggravated by the occurrence of centrifugal force. This is opposed by the water reaction on the hull and if strong enough and, in combination with the wind may cause the seaplane to tip, submerging the downwind float and causing the wing to strike the water. This is known as a 'water loop'. (-23) while attempting a water takeoff from Lake Gaston, NC, pilot encountered boat wake. PIC made a right turn to parallel waves, digging the right sponson into the water causing the aircraft to "water loop". The aircraft was beached. No injury to pilot or passenger.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING A WATER TAKEOFF FROM LAKE GASTON, IN HALIFAX COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A BOAT WAKE. A RIGHT TURN WAS MADE TO PARALLEL THE WAKE, RESULTING IN DRAGGING THE RIGHT SPONSON, AND A WATER LOOP ENSUED. THE FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR 61-21A-FLIGHT TRAINING HANDBOOK DISCUSSES THE FORCES THAT ACT ON A SEAPLANE DURING A CROSSWIND TAKEOFF. IT STATES THAT THE CROSSWIND PUSHES THE AIRPLANE SIDEWAYS, ACTING ALONG WITH THE FRICTION OF THE AIRPLANE ON THE WATER CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO WEATHERVANE INTO THE WIND. THE TURN IS AGGRAVATED BY THE OCCURRENCE OF CENTRIFUGAL FORCE. THIS IS OPPOSED BY THE WATER REACTION ON THE HULL AND IF STRONG ENOUGH AND, IN COMBINATION WITH THE WIND MAY CAUSE THE SEAPLANE TO TIP, SUBMERGING THE DOWNWIND FLOAT AND CAUSING THE WING TO STRIKE THE WATER. THIS IS KNOWN AS A 'WATER LOOP'. (-23) WHILE ATTEMPTING A WATER TAKEOFF FROM LAKE GASTON, NC, PILOT ENCOUNTERED BOAT WAKE. PIC MADE A RIGHT TURN TO PARALLEL WAVES, DIGGING THE RIGHT SPONSON INTO THE WATER CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO "WATER LOOP". THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEACHED. NO INJURY TO PILOT OR PASSENGER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL98LA100Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWise, NCThe pilot's improper turn during the takeoff that resulted in dragging the sponson. A factor was the rough water caused by the boat wake.Jul 4, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1401P · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20150908014649ASomerset, NJOn 9/8/2015 at approximately 2045 local time, Mr. Philip clements was the pilot in command of N1401P (lake LA-4-250) and had departed runway 30 at the somserset airport (ksmq) located in new jersey for an unknown destination. VFR conditions predominated the…Sep 8, 2015 · Destroyed · 1 fatal