- Date
- August 25, 1994, 15:07 local (19:07 UTC)
- Place
- Nantucket, MA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1471NGrumman G-44
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 27, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940825023299A
- Case key
- 8971
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 aircraft control. A factor in the accident was the rough water.
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
During takeoff, with the airplane 'on the step,' the pilot saw a swell coming towards the airplane from the left. The pilot stated that before he could reduce the power, the airplane veered to the right. He stated aileron input did not seem to upright the airplane so he then reduced the power. He stated the airplane impacted the water on the left side of its nose and then nosed over. Post accident examination of airframe and engines did not reveal any anomalies.
Factual narrative
On August 25, 1994, at 1520 eastern daylight time, a Grumman G-44, N1471N, impacted the water during takeoff from Madaket Harbor, Nantucket, Massachusetts. The pilot received minor injuries. The amphibian airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported that the takeoff began without incident. He stated, "Transition to the step was smooth...Once on the step there was no indication of engine trouble or control problems. Just prior to lifting off the water, out of the corner of my left eye, I spotted some contrary water what looked to be to me some kind of swell and decided to pull the power, but before I could do so, the plane veered extremely to the right. Attempts to level the plane with opposite aileron was not responsive."
The pilot stated that he "...pulled the power back..." and "...was able to keep the plane from rolling completely over." He stated the airplane's left side of the nose impacted the water and the airplane nosed over.
Post accident examination of the airframe and engines did not reveal any anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1471N
- Reported as
- Grumman G-44
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1471N
- Airframe hours
- 6,176
- Engine
- Lycoming GO-480, 270 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Strange Bird Inc
- Registered owner
- Strange Bird Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 2, 1994 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- HTO · East Hampton, NY
- Destination
- HTO · NY
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,498 total · 191 in this make and model · 1,145 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ACK, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.