20100717041249A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Consolidate Lake LA-4-2 · Swentna, AK · July 17, 2010

Date: July 17, 2010 · 19:35 local
Place: Swentna, AK
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8543H
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC10LA062
Reported as: Consolidate Lake LA-4-2
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,700 total350 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N8543HRegistered now · Consolidated Aeronautics LAKE LA-4-200S/N 1105 · Built 1984 Airframe modelConsolidated Aeronautics LAKE LA-4-200 Engine modelLycoming I0360 SER A&CReciprocating

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.

Pilot stated that he was landing in glassy water conditions on hewitt lake. He set his aircraft up for a 150 foot per minute descent at approximately 60 mph. He momentarily looked down at his instruments and in doing so, the aircraft pitch attitude changed to a nose low attitude. The aircraft struck the water nose down and the aircraft flipped upside down in the water causing substantial damage to the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS LANDING IN GLASSY WATER CONDITIONS ON HEWITT LAKE. HE SET HIS AIRCRAFT UP FOR A 150 FOOT PER MINUTE DESCENT AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. HE MOMENTARILY LOOKED DOWN AT HIS INSTRUMENTS AND IN DOING SO, THE AIRCRAFT PITCH ATTITUDE CHANGED TO A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE WATER NOSE DOWN AND THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED UPSIDE DOWN IN THE WATER CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.

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 ANC10LA062Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSkwentna, AKThe pilot's inadequate flare, which resulted in a nose-low impact with glassy water and a subsequent nose-over. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention while landing.Jul 18, 2010 · Substantial damage