# Accident 20211217021119A: Aerofab Inc LAKE LA-4-250, Auburndale, FL, December 17, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 17, 2021, 12:25 local time
- Place: Auburndale, FL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Unknown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.0970° N, 81.8070° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0970&lon=-81.8070&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1402C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1402C-2022-06-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerofab LAKE LA-4-250 (registry code 5110320, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerofab-lake-la-4-250) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROFAB INC LAKE LA-4-250
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA22LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA090) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211217021119A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

UPON ARRIVING TO THE SCENE THE SHERIFFS BRIEFED THE FAA THAT THEY HAD RECOVERED UPON ARRIVING TO THE SCENE THE SHERIFFS BRIEFED THE FAA THAT THEY HAD RECOVERED THE PILOT'S BODY AND THE PASSENGER FROM THE AIRCRAFT. DIVERS RECOVERED THE PILOT?S BODY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE, WHILE THE PASSENGER WAS STILL IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBMERGED APPROXIMATELY 1.0 MILES FROM THE SHORE. THE SHERIFF PROVIDED THE INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR WITH THE EXACT LATITUDE / LONGITUDE OF THE LOCATION WHERE THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST. THE SHERIFFS HAD ALSO RECOVERED SOME DEBRIS AND A DEAD BIRD. THE SHERIFFS PROVIDED THE INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR WITH EYE WITNESS INFORMATION AND THE INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR CONTACTED THE EYE WITNESSES AND TOOK HIS STATEMENTS. THE WITNESS STATED THAT HE HEARD THE ENGINE "STRUGGLING" AND THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN, THEN HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT ENTER A STEEPER RIGHT TURN AND LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT IN THE TREE LINE, WHICH WAS THEN FOLLOWED UPON ARRIVING TO THE SCENE THE SHERIFFS BRIEFED THE FAA THAT THEY HAD RECOVERED UPON ARRIVING TO THE SCENE THE SHERIFFS BRIEFED THE FAA THAT THEY HAD RECOVERED THE PILOT'S BODY AND THE PASSENGER FROM THE AIRCRAFT. DIVERS RECOVERED THE PILOT?S BODY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE, WHILE THE PASSENGER WAS STILL IN THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBMERGED APPROXIMATELY 1.0 MILES FROM THE SHORE. THE SHERIFF PROVIDED THE INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR WITH THE EXACT LATITUDE / LONGITUDE OF THE LOCATION WHERE THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST. THE SHERIFFS HAD ALSO RECOVERED SOME DEBRIS AND A DEAD BIRD. THE SHERIFFS PROVIDED THE INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR WITH EYE WITNESS INFORMATION AND THE INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR CONTACTED THE EYE WITNESSES AND TOOK HIS STATEMENTS. THE WITNESS STATED THAT HE HEARD THE ENGINE "STRUGGLING" AND THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN, THEN HE SAW THE AIRCRAFT ENTER A STEEPER RIGHT TURN AND LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT IN THE TREE LINE, WHICH WAS THEN FOLLOWED BY A STRANGE NOISE WHICH HE STATED SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE QUITTING OR IMPACTING THE WATER. IN CONSULTATION WITH THE NTSB, THE WRECKAGE REMOVAL PROCESS WAS ARRANGED FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 20TH OF 2021.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA22LA090](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA090), Dec 17, 2021: Aerofab Lake LA-4-250 (N1402C), Auburndale, FL, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: A bird strike, which resulted in a loss of control while flying at low altitude over a lake.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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