19980825021839A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Aircraft · Westport, MA · August 25, 1998

Date: August 25, 1998
Place: Westport, MA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N114LS
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD98LA102
Fatal injuries: 0

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.

(-23) Private pilot was being instructed in downwind landings in the wesport river, Westport, MA. The student was allowed to flare high and the trailing edge of the floats touched the water first causing the aircraft to pitch forward. The instructor tried to correct by adding full power, but the aircraft turned to the left and touched down in the river. This caused the floats to shear off the aircraft and the aircraft came to rest nose down in the river.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PRIVATE PILOT WAS BEING INSTRUCTED IN DOWNWIND LANDINGS IN THE WESPORT RIVER, WESTPORT, MA. THE STUDENT WAS ALLOWED TO FLARE HIGH AND THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE FLOATS TOUCHED THE WATER FIRST CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO PITCH FORWARD. THE INSTRUCTOR TRIED TO CORRECT BY ADDING FULL POWER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT TURNED TO THE LEFT AND TOUCHED DOWN IN THE RIVER. THIS CAUSED THE FLOATS TO SHEAR OFF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST NOSE DOWN IN THE RIVER.

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 IAD98LA102Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWestport, MAThe flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the airplane and his delayed decision to go-around. Factors related to the accident were the flight instructor's improper inflight decision to land downwind and his inadequate compensation for wind.Aug 25, 1998 · Substantial damage