- Date
- October 5, 2002, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fish Lake, MN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N713SXCessna 172L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20021005026009A
- Case key
- 55846
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 altitude/clearance not maintained while maneuvering on short final for landing on the lake. The glassy water was a contributing factor.
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 pilot was attempting to land when the airplane's left float contacted the water followed by the right wing. The pilot reported that he was approaching the landing area at an altitude of about 20 feet above water prior to initiating the turn. He described the lake conditions as being glassy at the south end of the lake with light ripples near the landing area.
Factual narrative
On October 5, 2002, at 1430 central daylight time, a Cessna 172L, N713SX, owned and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during an approach for landing on Fish Lake approximately 6 nautical miles north of Little Falls, Minnesota. The left float contacted the water while the airplane was in a banked turn. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot was uninjured. The flight originated from Lake Alexander approximately 17 nautical miles northwest of Little Falls, Minnesota, at 1400.
The pilot stated that at 100 feet above ground level (AGL) he reduced speed to 65 mph. As he entered ground effect, he added power to keep the airplane flying as he was still about a mile from the south shore of the lake where his passenger was waiting. He was flying about 20 feet above the water and noticed that he was not lined up perfectly with the wind so he made a slight turn to the left as he started to raise the nose in preparation to flare. He stated that his depth perception must have been off. He then felt the left float contact the water. He tried pulling the elevator back but could not gain control. The right wing then hit the water hard as the airplane turned to the left.
He described the lake conditions as being glassy at the south end of the lake with light ripples near the landing area.
The pilot stated that his safety recommendation is to never make turns on short final and to execute a go-around if things are not right. He added that the turn he made was very small but it was enough to drop a wing. He also stated to treat light rippled water as glassy water.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N713SX
- Reported as
- Cessna 172L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17259375
- Airframe hours
- 4,142
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Alan L. Schneider
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 6, 2002 · 68 hours before
- Departed
- Lake Alexander, MN
- Destination
- Peirz, MN
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- September 24, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 589 total · 492 in this make and model · 561 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- LXL, 6 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.