20200704008239A

THE NASHVILLE FSDO RECEIVED A PHONE MESSAGE FROM THE KFGU AIRPORT MANAGER ON 07/08/2020 INQUIRING IF WE WERE AWARE OF AN INCIDENT THAT TOOK PLACE OFF AIRPORT PROPERTY ON 07/04/2020. I WAS ASSIGNED AS THE IIC AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PILOT ON 07/09/2020. I RECEIVED A VERBAL ACCOUNT OF THE INCIDENT AND THE RATIONAL AS TO WHY IT WAS NOT REPORTED. I PROVIDED INFORMATION ON THE REPORTING REQUIREMENT AND CRITERIA. DURING THIS CALL I DISCOVERED THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE INCIDENT SITE AND FURTHER RELOCATED ACROSS STATE LINES FOR REPAIR. I ADVISED THE OWNER TO NOT TOUCH THE AIRCRAFT UNTIL RELEASED BY THE NTSB AND THE FAA. ADDITIONALLY I PROVIDED THE OWNER NTSB FORM 6120.1 AND REQUESTED HE FILL OUT THE FORM AND ALSO PROVIDE A DETAILED STATEMENT OF THE INCIDENT. THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT WAS RECEIVED ON 07/13/2020.

"DEPARTED KFGU FOR A SIGHTSEEING TRIP OVER LAKE CHICKAMAUGA AND THE TN RIVER. AFTER FLYING TO THE LAKE, FLYING NORTH AND SOUTH ON THE LAKE MAKING SEVERAL WATER TOUCH & GO'S, WE PROCEEDED BACK TO KFGU. PRIOR TO KFGU, I DECIDED TO MAKE ONE MORE WATER TOUCH & GO AT A SMALLER LAKE NEAR KFGU. I HAD MADE MULTIPLE LANDINGS AT THIS LAKE IN THE PAST AND WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE LOCATION. IMMEDIATELY BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, THE PLANE TIPPED TO THE RIGHT AND THE RIGHT FLOAT TOUCHDOWN FIRST AND THE AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED TO VEER SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT COMING TO REST ON A NEARBY GRASS BANK. I WOULD CHARACTERIZE THE VEER TO THE RIGHT SIMILAR TO A GROUND LOOP EVENT ON A TAIL DRAGGER. UPON IMPACT WITH THE GRASS BANK, DAMAGED OCCURRED TO THE FLOAT STRUTS AND THE FORWARD FUSELAGE. THE PILOT POSITION AND NOSE ON THE AIRCRAM IS HIGH AND EXTENDS FORWARD OF THE FLOATS. THE SLOPE OF THE BANK WAS APPROXIMATELY 20-30 DEGREES AND WAS COVERED WITH NATURAL GRASS. UPON COMING TO REST THE PLANE SAT ON THE GRASS BANK WITH THE RIGHT WING LOWER THAN THE LEFT WING. AFTERWARDS, I VERIFIED THAT MY WIFE WAS NOT INJURED; I TURNED OFF THE ENGINES, ALL ELECTRONICS AND VERIFIED THAT THE GEAR WERE IN THE UP POSITION FOR WATER LANDING, EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND ASSISTED MY WIFE WITH EXITING THE AIRCRAFT. SEVERAL MINUTES AFTERWARDS A PERSON A PERSON CAME TO CHECK ON US AND OFFERED US A RIDE TO KFGU. THE NEXT DAY, 07/05/2020, THE WEATHER REPORT CALLED FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE DAY WITH LIGHTENING, HAIL, AND HIGH WINDS. I RETURNED TO THE AIRCRAFT AND SOLICITED HELP FROM A FRIEND WHO HAD A BACKHOE AND ASKED IF HE WOULD HELP PLACE THE PLANE ON LEVEL GROUND AND SECURE IT TO PREVENT DAMAGE FROM THE WEATHER. WITH DIFFICULTY WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE FROM THE BANK ONTO LEVEL GROUND AND SUPPORT THE AIRCRAFT IN A SECURE FASHION." 07/14/2020 I MADE CONTACT WITH THE NTSB AND HANDED OFF THE INCIDENT REPORT AND PROVIDED DETAILED INFORMATION OF THE INCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT IS LOCATED IN THE RICHMOND FSDO DISTRICT. WE ARRANGED FOR A LOCAL INSPECTOR TO OBTAIN PHOTOS OF THE AIRCRAFT. 07/16/2020 I RECEIVED PHOTOS, COMPLIED INFORMATION AND FORWARDED TO THE NTSB. WE AGREED THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THIS WOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS AN ACCIDENT. 07/23/2020 I RELEASED THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO THE OWNER AND COMPLETED ACCIDENT REPORT.