# NTSB investigations: Choppy surface

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB CEN24LA255](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA255.md): Air Tractor AT-802 · Brad, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 4, 2024 · N983LA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control after encountering a large boat wake.
- [NTSB WPR23LA326](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA326.md): Henry Steven J JA 30 Superstol · Leavenworth, WA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Aug 28, 2023 · N869BB · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during taxi, which resulted in a nose over.
- [NTSB CEN23LA290](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA290.md): Good James AIR CAM · Caswell Beach, NC · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jul 7, 2023 · N38HP · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to properly evaluate the sea state during an open sea landing and subsequent takeoff attempt resulting in an inadvertent impact with the water.
- [NTSB WPR21LA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA013.md): Ralph C Kimball Sea Rey · Parker Dam, CA · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Oct 9, 2020 · N32RK · Substantial damage
  > The inadvertent encounter with water wake during the takeoff sequence that degraded the airplane’s airspeed and resulted in the pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from obstacles during the initial climb.
- [NTSB CEN20CA348](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA348.md): Progressive Aerodyne Searey · League City, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report · Aug 17, 2020 · N502BK · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during a water takeoff after an encounter with the wake from a boat.
- [NTSB ANC19FA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC19FA035.md): De Havilland Beaver DHC 2 · Seldovia, AK · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 2 · Field · Final report · Jul 19, 2019 · N68083 · Substantial damage
  > The airplane's floats impact with an ocean wave or swell, which exceeded the design load specifications of the flying wire assemblies and resulted in a partial separation of the float assemblies.
- [NTSB ERA19LA156](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19LA156.md): Cessna 208 · Key West, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Apr 23, 2019 · N366TA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's decision to attempt a takeoff in rough sea conditions, resulting in damage to the floats and the sinking of the seaplane.
- [NTSB GAA18CA336](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA336.md): Aviat A 1 · Renton, WA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 10, 2018 · N352AM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate crosswind correction, which resulted in the right wing impacting the water’s surface.
- [NTSB ANC17LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC17LA053.md): Cessna U206G · Kodiak, AK · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 4, 2017 · N16GP · Substantial damage
  > ***This probable cause was modified on November 27, 2018. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original probable cause.*** The pilot's improper decision to takeoff in an area of rough water and ocean swells, which resulted in a failure of the…
- [NTSB CEN17FA287](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17FA287.md): Aerofab Lake LA 4 250 · Oshkosh, WI · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 28, 2017 · N1400P · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to properly configure the airplane for takeoff and his decision to takeoff with a tailwind in unfavorable water conditions, which resulted in the airplane entering an aerodynamic stall and the pilot losing control.
- [NTSB CEN17LA283](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA283.md): Cessna 180 · Austin, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 22, 2017 · N3119D · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper decision to attempt to take off after two previous failed attempts from choppy water with a high outside temperature and the airplane near its maximum gross weight, which degraded the airplane’s performance and resulted in its inability…
- [NTSB GAA17CA574](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA574.md): Cessna 208 · New York, NY · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 21, 2017 · N802TW · Substantial damage
  > The airplane’s encounter with boat wake and multiple swells during a water takeoff.
- [NTSB GAA17CA332](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA332.md): Cessna 208 · Elfin Cove, AK · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 24, 2017 · N1265U · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to recognize the magnitude of the swell size during landing, which resulted in a tail-low hard water landing.
- [NTSB GAA16CA524](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA524.md): Van Hoomissen Gerald J Murphy Elite · Nordman, ID · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 9, 2016 · N567AK · Substantial damage
  > The floatplane pilot's improper landing flare during landing on choppy water with a tailwind, which resulted in a nose-over. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to determine the wind direction before landing.
- [NTSB GAA16CA370](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA370.md): Cessna 180 · New Durham, NH · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 6, 2016 · N767MH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing after encountering a boat wake, which resulted in the airplane veering left, impacting the water's surface, and subsequently becoming submerged.
- [NTSB GAA16CA310](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA310.md): Consolidated Aeronautics Lake LA 4 · Greers Ferry, AR · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 12, 2016 · N1244L · Substantial damage
  > The amphibious airplane pilot's incorrect pitch attitude during landing on choppy water, which resulted in a nose over, and substantial damage to the fuselage.
- [NTSB GAA16CA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA062.md): Consolidated Aeronautics Lake LA-4 · Morganton, NC · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 14, 2015 · N1204L · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the departure, resulting in substantial damage to the airplanes right wing.
- [NTSB GAA15CA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA078.md): Consolidated Aeronautics Lake LA4-200 · Mineral, VA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 16, 2015 · N1105L · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a high-speed water taxi in rough water conditions, resulting in a collision with a dock.
- [NTSB WPR13CA140](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA140.md): Weston SEA-ERA · Bellevue, WA · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 4, 2013 · N226SE · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain control during takeoff on choppy water conditions.
- [NTSB ERA12LA358](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA358.md): Cessna 182C · Efland, NC · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 9, 2011 · N8527T · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s loss of directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a collision with a ditch.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT f.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_findings.parquet' f WHERE starts_with(f."findingCode", '03023030'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023030/cases

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