# NTSB CEN16LA244: Pollack Quicksilver SPRINT2S, N250AB, Bullard, TX, July 3, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 2, 2016, 19:45 local (Jul 3, 2016, 00:45 UTC) - Place: Bullard, TX - Coordinates: 32.098888, -95.446945 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0989&lon=-95.4469&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 26, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 93540 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN16LA244 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93540/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93540 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA244 ## Probable cause A loss of airplane control during landing for reasons that could not be determined, because the airplane sank and was not recovered. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wing structure: ailerons](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035751): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Pollack John V QUICKSILVER SPRINT2S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035751/cases.md?model=05903WF), [All aircraft, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035751/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Pollack John V QUICKSILVER SPRINT2S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05903WF), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Flight control sys malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333) (defining event); cases with it: [Pollack John V QUICKSILVER SPRINT2S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md?model=05903WF), [All aircraft, 410 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/333/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Pollack John V QUICKSILVER SPRINT2S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05903WF), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Pollack John V QUICKSILVER SPRINT2S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05903WF), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airline transport pilot stated that a preflight check of the flight controls revealed no anomalies, and he and the passenger taxied the float-equipped airplane from its dock onto the lake for takeoff. The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff, the flight controls felt abnormal, and he elected to return to the lake for landing. He stated that he could not correct the airplane's bank angle before touching down, and the airplane landed hard on the water in a right bank. The pilot and passenger egressed, and the airplane subsequently sank. Attempts to locate and retrieve the airplane following the accident were unsuccessful; therefore, no examination of the airplane was performed, and the reason for the pilot's reported control difficulties could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On July 2, 2016, about 1945 central daylight time, a Pollack Quicksilver Sprint2S airplane, N250AB, impacted Lake Palestine, Texas, during a forced landing. The airline transport rated pilot and his passenger were uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions existed in the area of the accident site about the time of the accident, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.According to the pilot's accident report, he performed a preflight check of the airplane while it was tied to a dock. He taxied out about 1930 and the flight control check was "all good." The pilot started a takeoff to the south and after takeoff, the controls did not feel right. He arrested the climb out and turned north. The controls still did not "seem right" so the pilot turned right to return for a landing. He could not arrest all of the right turn and landed hard with a right bank. The airplane impacted the water with its right float first and the float took on water. The airplane remained afloat as the pilot began towing it to shore. The towing process was delayed as wardens and troopers requested reports and it was during this time that the airplane sank. The pilot hired a salvage company. However, the airplane was not located and therefore could not be examined as part of this investigation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N250AB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N250AB-2019-11-01), registration cancelled 2019-11-01, S/N 0137, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: POLLACK QUICKSILVER SPRINT2S - Registry model: [Pollack John V QUICKSILVER SPRINT2S](https://openairdocs.org/model/pollack-john-v-quicksilver-sprint2s) (registry code 05903WF) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 582DCDI](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582dcdi) (registry code 55562, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 0137 - Year built: 2005 - Airframe hours: 330 - Engines: Rotax 582 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, July 25, 2015 - Departed: Bullard, TX - Destination: Bullard, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; airline transport, flight engineer, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 16, 2016; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 13,000 total, 350 in this make and model, 2,500 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: KTYR, 10 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 20160702013879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160702013879A), Jul 2, 2016: Pollack John V QUICKSILVER SPRINT2S, Bullard, TX, Substantial damage. Pilot made a hard landing on lake palestine, cracking a float and aircraft sunk to the bottom of the lake ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 29, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93540. 3.5 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40446810&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-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.