- Date
- July 5, 2004, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lake City, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7072BPiper PA-18-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Grand Rapids FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040705013269A
- Case key
- 59702
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 directional control during landing.
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 float-equipped airplane was substantially damaged during landing when it yawed to the right after touch down, allowing the left float to catch the water. The aircraft subsequently nosed over. The pilot noted there was "minimal" wind and "near glassy water conditions." She stated that the aircraft was coming down off the step after touch down when it "began to turn a little to the right." She was unable to correct the yaw, which allowed the left float to sink enough to catch the water and the aircraft flipped over.
Factual narrative
On July 5, 2004, approximately 1700 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150, N7072B, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during landing on Sapphire Lake near Lake City, Michigan. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The local flight reportedly departed Sapphire Lake about 1635.
In the pilot's written statement, she reported that she had selected her landing point on the lake and made one 360-degree turn in order to allow some boat wakes to dissipate. She noted there was "minimal" wind and "near glassy water conditions." She stated that the aircraft was coming down off the step after touch down when it "began to turn a little to the right." She was unable to correct the yaw, which allowed the left float to sink enough to catch the water. The aircraft subsequently flipped over.
The pilot reported no malfunctions or failures associated with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7072B
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-5147
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Lake City, MI
- Airport
- PVT · Sapphire Lake
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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- August 27, 2003
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 174 total · 32 in this make and model · 68 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- CAD, 11 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.
Other investigations on N7072B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.