- Date
- March 29, 2005, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Alexander City, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N119WPAviat A1A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Birmingham FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050329004799A
- Case key
- 61226
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, during the completion of a local flight, he approached Lake Martin to set up for a water landing. As the pilot turned base to final he heard the stall warning horn as he banked the airplane. The pilot added power, and leveled the wings, in an attempt to arrest the stall. However, the airplane did not respond, and collided with the water. No flight control or mechanical malfunctions were reported by the pilot. Examination of the airplane revealed buckling in the upper cabin area, and leading edge crush damage on both wing assemblies.
Factual narrative
On March 29, 2005, at 1000 central standard time, a Aviat A-1A, N119WP, registered to and operated by a private pilot collided with water during a water landing near Alexander City, Alabama. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Lake Martin, Alabama on March 29, 2005 at 0930.
According to the pilot, during the completion of a local flight, he approached Lake Martin to set up for a water landing. As the pilot turned base to final he heard the stall warning horn as he banked the airplane. The pilot added power, and leveled the wings, in an attempt to arrest the stall. However, the airplane did not respond, and collided with the water. No flight control or mechanical malfunctions were reported by the pilot. Examination of the airplane revealed buckling in the upper cabin area, and leading edge crush damage on both wing assemblies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N119WP
- Reported as
- Aviat A1A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1425
- Airframe hours
- 500
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Eugene Gwaltney
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 16, 2004 · 457 hours before
- Departed
- ALX · Alexader City, AL
- Destination
- Alexander City, AL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,450 total · 85 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- ALX
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.