# NTSB ATL84FIG01: Lake LA-4-200, N5022L, St. Michaels, MD, November 8, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Final report
- Date: November 8, 1983, 16:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place: St. Michaels, MD
- Location: 38.7918° N, 76.2206° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of St. Michaels, MD, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- NTSB coordinates: 36.730533, -76.039329 (estimated), outside the stated state
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.7918&lon=-76.2206&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 6308
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL84FIG01
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/6308/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL84FIG01

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - terrain condition - water,glassy (contributing factor)
  - altitude - misjudged, pilot in command (cause)
  - flare - delayed, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

DURING THE AFTERNOON, THE PLT FLEW TO THE MILES RIVER IN MARYLAND WHERE HE MADE A WATER LANDING TO PICK UP A PASSENGER. WHEN HE LANDED, THE WATER SURFACE HAD RIPPLES WHICH HAD BEEN PRODUCED BY A LIGHT BREEZE. AT THAT TIME, THE PLT HAD NO TROUBLE SEEING THE SURFACE OF THE WATER. THE PLT THEN TOOK OFF WITH THE PASSENGER ON BOARD. LATER, WHEN THEY RETURNED TO LAND, THE WATER WAS GLASSY. THE PLT STATED THAT DURING THE LANDING, HE THOUGHT HIS APPROACH WAS PERFECT. HE STATED HE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS APRX 5 TO 6 FT ABOVE THE WATER & WAS JUST BEGINING TO FLARE WHEN THE ANPHIBIAN ACFT CRASHED. HE WAS THROWN FROM THE ACFT & REMEMBERED SWIMMING BACK. APRX 4 MIN AFTER THE ACCIDENT, BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE PULLED FROM THE WATER, BUT THE PASSENGER, WHO HAD WENT THRU THE WINDSHIELD, DIED LATER. NO SHOULDER HARNESS WAS INSTALLED. THE WATER VISIBILITY AT THE SITE WAS CLEAR. WHEN THE INVESTIGATOR LANDED ON GLASSY WATER THERE ON THE NEXT DAY, THERE WAS NO VISIBLE SURFACE, ALL HE COULD SEE WAS WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE RIVER BOTTOM.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N5022L (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: LAKE LA-4-200
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 479
- Airframe hours: 755
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A1B 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: William E. Crane
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility
- Last inspection: Annual, March 10, 1983, 111 hours before
- Departed: ESN, EASTON, MD

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 60; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 4,120 total, 100 in this make and model, 4,050 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: SBY

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19831108056849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19831108056849A), Nov 8, 1983: Conaer LA4200, St Michaels, MD, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Amphibian struck the water in a nose down attitude while trying to land on glassy clear surface water.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.