# NTSB CEN15CA353: Ratte James Aventura II, N6356Z, Tyler, TX, August 10, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 10, 2015, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC) - Place: Tyler, TX - Coordinates: 32.239723, -95.181945 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2397&lon=-95.1819&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report September 11, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 91766 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN15CA353 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91766/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91766 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15CA353 ## Probable cause The loss of airplane control during a go around, which resulted in impact with the water. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of seaplane rating and inexperience in the accident airplane. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Ratte James AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=05605TM), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications: qualification/certification](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Ratte James AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md?model=05605TM), [All aircraft, 280 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications: total experience w/ equipment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Ratte James AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025/cases.md?model=05605TM), [All aircraft, 269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: residence/building](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022022): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Decision related to condition; cases with it: [Ratte James AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022022/cases.md?model=05605TM), [All aircraft, 58 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022022/cases.md) - [Terrain: water](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Ratte James AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021020/cases.md?model=05605TM), [All aircraft, 97 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Ratte James AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05605TM), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Attempted remediation/recovery](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060); cases with it: [Ratte James AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md?model=05605TM), [All aircraft, 1,422 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/060/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Ratte James AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05605TM), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing: Ditching](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441); cases with it: [Ratte James AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md?model=05605TM), [All aircraft, 186 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/441/sequence.md) ## Analysis The non-seaplane rated private pilot stated that his intention was to get comfortable with the airplane. He performed several maneuvers in the air, then seven uneventful touch-and-go water landings with half flaps extended. On the final landing attempt, he fully extended the flaps and had difficulty controlling the airplane. The airplane bounced on the water twice and the pilot initiated a go-around. The airplane veered left and was headed toward houses and boat docks; he maneuvered to ditch the airplane into the water to avoid a collision. The airplane impacted the water and sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot egressed the airplane with minor injuries. The pilot's lack of experience in the airplane contributed to the loss of control during the go around. ## Factual narrative The non-seaplane rated private pilot stated that his intention was to get comfortable with the airplane. He performed several maneuvers in the air, then seven uneventful touch-and-go water landings with half flaps extended. On the final landing attempt, he fully extended the flaps and had difficulty controlling the airplane. The airplane bounced on the water twice and the pilot initiated a go-around. The airplane veered left and was headed toward houses and boat docks; he maneuvered to ditch the airplane into the water to avoid a collision. The airplane impacted the water and sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot egressed the airplane with minor injuries. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6356Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6356Z-2018-03-06), registration cancelled 2018-03-06, S/N AP2A0045 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RATTE JAMES AVENTURA II (II) - Registry model: [Ratte James AVENTURA II](https://openairdocs.org/model/ratte-james-aventura-ii) (registry code 05605TM) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: AP2A0045 - Airframe hours: 143.5 - Engines: Rotax 912 UL reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 14, 2014 - Departed: Tyler, TX - Destination: Tyler, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: KTYR, 13 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20150810014249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150810014249A), Aug 10, 2015: Ratte James AVENTURA II, Tyler, TX, Substantial damage. On August 10, 2015, about 0915 central daylight time, an experimental amateur built amphibious aircraft, a Ratte James r. avenger ii, N6356Z, s/n AP2A0045 was… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 2, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91766. 3.0 MB in all. - FAA Inspector’s Statement (item 1, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431345&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%E2%80%99s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 216 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431346&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 – Accident Airplane (FAA Photo) (item 3, .PDF, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431347&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93%20Accident%20Airplane%20(FAA%20Photo)-Master.PDF 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.