20200404002209A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Lake LA-4-200 · Hickory, NC · April 4, 2020

Date: April 4, 2020 · 16:24 local
Place: Hickory, NC
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N84PF
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA20CA144
Reported as: Lake LA-4-200
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,062 total1,726 in this make and model28 in the last 90 days

N84PFRegistration cancelled Sep 14, 2022 · Lake LA-4-200S/N 1100 · Built 1984 Airframe modelLake LA-4-200 Engine modelLycoming AEIO-360 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.

On 4/4/2020 at approximately 1624 local time, Lake LA-4-200, registration number N84PF, piloted by privacy data omitted, private pilot certificate number privacy data omitted, initiated a takeoff in day VFR conditions from Lake Hickory approximately 2000 feet east-southeast of the highway 127 bridge heading westbound according to a witness. The pilot stated that he decided to abort the takeoff just after liftoff, as he did not believe he could have safely cleared the power lines that paralleled the bridge. The pilot failed to maintain control of the aircraft during the landing and the aircraft water-looped upon touchdown and received substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot and one passenger were uninjured. The airman was current and qualified for the flight and airworthiness was not determined to be a factor in the accident. The pilot stated that it took about 2,000 feet for a normal takeoff on the water.

As the FAA filed it

ON 4/4/2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 1624 LOCAL TIME, LAKE LA-4-200, REGISTRATION NUMBER N84PF, PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE NUMBER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, INITIATED A TAKEOFF IN DAY VFR CONDITIONS FROM LAKE HICKORY APPROXIMATELY 2000 FEET EAST-SOUTHEAST OF THE HIGHWAY 127 BRIDGE HEADING WESTBOUND ACCORDING TO A WITNESS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF JUST AFTER LIFTOFF, AS HE DID NOT BELIEVE HE COULD HAVE SAFELY CLEARED THE POWER LINES THAT PARALLELED THE BRIDGE. THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING AND THE AIRCRAFT WATER-LOOPED UPON TOUCHDOWN AND RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE AND WINGS. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED. THE AIRMAN WAS CURRENT AND QUALIFIED FOR THE FLIGHT AND AIRWORTHINESS WAS NOT DETERMINED TO BE A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT IT TOOK ABOUT 2,000 FEET FOR A NORMAL TAKEOFF ON THE WATER.

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 ERA20CA144Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportHickory, NCThe pilot's inadequate preflight planning and attempted takeoff with obstacles in the direction of departure, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane during the rejected takeoff.Apr 4, 2020 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N84PF · 1

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

Incident 20071026826269ILevel Off Touchdown · Lakeville, MA(-23) On October 26, 2007, at approximately 1600 eastern standard time (EST), a lake LA-4-200, N84PF being flown by the pilot [privacy data omitted] failed to control his amphibious aircraft during water landing phase. The aircraft sustained minor damage. The…Oct 26, 2007 · Minor damage