# NTSB CEN17LA204: Aviat A-1B, N71JA, Tomahawk Lake, WI, May 26, 2017

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 26, 2017, 10:25 local (15:25 UTC)
- Place: Tomahawk Lake, WI
- Coordinates: 45.832778, -89.65139 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8328&lon=-89.6514&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report August 3, 2020
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Milwaukee FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 95266
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN17LA204
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95266/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95266
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA204

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain a proper approach path, which resulted in the airplane’s hard landing and nose over after the water landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Aviat A-1B, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=2210406), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aviat A-1B, 33 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2210406), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Aviat A-1B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2210406), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Aviat A-1B, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2210406), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot was conducting a personal flight in the float-equipped airplane and was landing on a lake with the wheels and water rudders up. The pilot stated that the winds were calm to 6 knots and that the water surface exhibited some minor ripples. The landing was made toward the northwest, with the flaps retracted, at a landing speed of 70-80 mph. The pilot did not recall the touchdown. A witness reported seeing the airplane come within 5 ft of the lake surface, then climb to 15 ft above the lake before it descended and touched down on the lake. The witness stated that the airplane nosed over shortly after it touched down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the support struts. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane during the flight. Based on available weather data, the pilot likely landed with a 3-4 kt tailwind. However, the pilot should have been able to adequately respond to the slight tailwind during landing. Given the available information, the pilot likely did not maintain a proper approach path, which resulted in the airplane's hard landing and nose over.

## Factual narrative

On May 26, 2017, about 1025 central daylight time, an Aviat Aircraft A-1B float-equipped airplane, N71JA, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over upon landing on Tomahawk Lake near Woodruff, Wisconsin. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.The pilot reported that the accident occurred during her first landing after she departed Rhinelander Airport, Rhinelander, Wisconsin. The pilot stated that the airplane's wheels and water rudders were up for the intended water landing. She stated that the winds were calm to 6 knots and the water surface exhibited some minor ripples. The landing was made toward the northwest, with the flaps retracted, at a landing speed of 70-80 mph. The pilot did not recall the landing or the airplane nosing over after it touched down. The pilot's next recollection is after the accident and being upside down under the water. She was able to unlatch her seat restraint and exit the airplane with a minor head cut. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane during the flight. The pilot noted that the accident could have been prevented had she "been sitting up higher on the pilot's seat." A witness reported seeing the airplane on landing approach to the lake while on a north/northwest heading. He did not observe or hear anything abnormal with the airplane as it descended toward the lake. He turned his attention away from the airplane when it had descended to within a few feet of the lake surface (he did not observe the airplane impact the water). Another witness reported seeing the airplane come within 5 ft of the lake surface, then climb to 15 ft above the lake before it descended and touched down on the lake. The witness stated that the airplane nosed over shortly after it touched down on the lake. The witness did not recall if the airplane pitch was level or nose low before it landed. The nearest aviation weather reporting station was located at Lakeland Airport/Noble F. Lee Memorial Field (ARV) about 7 miles northwest of the accident site. Based on available weather data, the surface wind was from the southeast at 3-4 knots. A postaccident examination of the wreckage established that both wings and the support struts were substantially damaged during the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N71JA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N71JA), registered now, S/N 2284, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AVIAT AIRCRAFT INC A-1B
- Registry model: [Aviat A-1B](https://openairdocs.org/model/aviat-a-1b) (registry code 2210406) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-series) (registry code 41575, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 2284
- Year built: 2004
- Airframe hours: 649
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1P 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 17, 2017, 1 hours before
- Departed: RHI, Rhinelander, WI
- Destination: Tomahawk Lake, WI
- Equipment: Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 62; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 3, 2017; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 4,000 total, 700 in this make and model, 3,500 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 7,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Icing: Rime
- Observed at: ARV, 7 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 20170526004919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170526004919A), May 26, 2017: Aviat Aircraft Inc A-1B, Woodruff, WI, Substantial damage. On may 26, 2017, at 1025 CST, an Aviat husky A1B N71JA overturned in tomahawk lake after landing/ touchdown on the water approximately 400 feet from shore. The…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 29, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95266. 1.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483555&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Memorandum of Conversation with FAA Inspector Peter Hupfer on May 31, 2017 (item 2, .PDF, 76 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40483556&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Conversation%20with%20FAA%20Inspector%20Peter%20Hupfer%20on%20May%2031,%202017-Master.PDF
- Memorandum of Conversation with FAA Inspector Peter Hupfer on June 1, 2017 (item 3, .PDF, 77 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484005&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Conversation%20with%20FAA%20Inspector%20Peter%20Hupfer%20on%20June%201,%202017-Master.PDF
- FAA Interview Summaries (Tim Spreen) (item 4, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484006&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Interview%20Summaries%20(Tim%20Spreen)-Master.PDF
- FAA Inspector Statement (Tim Spreen) (item 5, .PDF, 184 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484007&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement%20(Tim%20Spreen)-Master.PDF
- Woodruff Police Department Officer Statement (item 6, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484008&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Woodruff%20Police%20Department%20Officer%20Statement-Master.PDF
- Weather Reports (item 7, .PDF, 69 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40484009&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports-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.

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