20260116000709A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Lake LA-4-200 · Anacortes, WA · January 16, 2026

Date: January 16, 2026 · 16:00 local
Place: Anacortes, WA
Airport: Campbell Lake
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N48X
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR26LA090
Reported as: Lake LA-4-200
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 9,400 total

N48XRegistered now · Lake LA-4-200S/N 560 · Built 1973 Airframe modelLake 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 was conducting flight training with the second pilot. After pattern work at skagit airport, the aircraft headed to Campbell Lake for water landing practice. No mechanical deficiencies were noted during the pattern work.

During landing at Campbell Lake, aircraft nosed over during landing and sustained damage to right windshield, nose gear doors, and forward hull of aircraft. After discussion with NTSB, the aircraft was released to the privacy data omitted. Aircraft was relocated to a residence on Campbell Lake.

Pilot stated before landing, it appeared the landing gear was retracted by observing the gear in the convex mirrors located on the aircraft sponsons. He further stated that after landing, inspection found the nose landing gear appeared to not fully retract, causing the nose of the aircraft to dip into the water and damage the aircraft. Nose gear tire witness marks were noticed on the damaged nose gear doors.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS CONDUCTING FLIGHT TRAINING WITH THE SECOND PILOT. AFTER PATTERN WORK AT SKAGIT AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT HEADED TO CAMPBELL LAKE FOR WATER LANDING PRACTICE. NO MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES WERE NOTED DURING THE PATTERN WORK.

DURING LANDING AT CAMPBELL LAKE, AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER DURING LANDING AND SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO RIGHT WINDSHIELD, NOSE GEAR DOORS, AND FORWARD HULL OF AIRCRAFT. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH NTSB, THE AIRCRAFT WAS RELEASED TO THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. AIRCRAFT WAS RELOCATED TO A RESIDENCE ON CAMPBELL LAKE.

PILOT STATED BEFORE LANDING, IT APPEARED THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED BY OBSERVING THE GEAR IN THE CONVEX MIRRORS LOCATED ON THE AIRCRAFT SPONSONS. HE FURTHER STATED THAT AFTER LANDING, INSPECTION FOUND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR APPEARED TO NOT FULLY RETRACT, CAUSING THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO DIP INTO THE WATER AND DAMAGE THE AIRCRAFT. NOSE GEAR TIRE WITNESS MARKS WERE NOTICED ON THE DAMAGED NOSE GEAR DOORS.

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 WPR26LA090Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary reportDewey, WAOn January 16, 2026, at 1609 Pacific daylight time, a Lake LA-4-200, N48X sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Dewey, Washington. The flight instructor and student pilot were uninjured. The amphibious airplane was operated as…Jan 17, 2026 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N48X · 1

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

Incident 20200627008619ILanding: Touchdown · Burlington, WAPilot attempted to land on skagit river with landing gear extended.Jun 27, 2020 · Minor damage