- Date
- April 1, 1988, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Guntersville, AL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N50715Cessna 150J
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 26, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880401007609A
- Case key
- 7727
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
The seaplane collided with the water shortly after takeoff. The plt rptd that a large spider dropped in front of him and distracted him. The airplane was in a gradual right turn about 100 ft above the water at the time. He attempted to swat the spider with his hat and inadvertently allowed the airplane to descend into the water. The airplane flipped over and came to rest inverted. He exited the airplane as it sank and was rescued by a fisherman. The plt noted that the water was glassy and that the sky was overcast at the time. He indicated that the lack of nearby outside visual references contributed to his inadvertently allowing the airplane to descend into the water.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N50715
- Reported as
- Cessna 150J
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15069502
- Airframe hours
- 1,463
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Frank Ryder
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 6, 1987
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,715 total · 26 in this make and model · 1,671 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.