- Date
- August 1, 1994, 09:20 local (14:20 UTC)
- Place
- Oshkosh, WI
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5296CKeuthan, Charles J. Buccaneer II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940801019999A
- Case key
- 9385
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 inadvertent stall of the airplane. Factors were the tailwind condition and the pilot's inadequate compensation for the tailwind.
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 demonstrating the capabilities of the experimental amphibious airplane to the passenger. The pilot reported that during the initial climb following her second water touch-and-go landing, the airplane was approaching the trees on the edge of the lake. She attempted to turn but the airplane descended and impacted the water. A witness reported the airplane stalled and the wing struck the water.
Factual narrative
History of flight
On August 1, 1994, at 0920 central daylight time, an experimental Charles J. Keuthan Buccaneer II airplane, N5296C, sustained substantial damage during a water touch-and-go landing at the Vette Seaplane Base in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The commercial pilot and the sole passenger sustained minor injuries. The business flight departed the Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, about 0900 and was conducted under CFR Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions. The planned destination was the Wittman Regional Airport and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot said she was employed by the operator to give demonstration rides to potential customers. The flight was conducted to demonstrate the capabilities of the experimental amphibious airplane to the passenger. They departed the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) convention at Wittman Regional Airport and flew to the Vette Seaplane Base.
She flew one uneventful touch-and-go landing on the water. Following the second touch-and-go landing, during the initial climb, she felt like the airplane was not climbing at a normal rate. She said all engine instruments were normal and she thought the airplane was going to impact the trees at the edge of the lake. She attempted to turn and perform an emergency landing, but the airplane descended and impacted the water.
A witness to the accident said he saw the airplane takeoff downwind on a heading of about 210 degrees with northerly winds of about 10 knots. He said it was approaching the trees, turned, and then stalled. A wing tip caught in the water and the airplane spun in.
Personal information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a single engine land rating. She did not hold a single engine sea rating.
Wreckage and impact information
The NTSB on scene investigation began about 1100. The airplane was located on the shore at the western edge of the Vette Seaplane Base. A witness said he helped to move the airplane up from the water and had extended the landing gear.
The front four feet of the hull was fractured circumferentially in the upward direction. The trailing edge of the right wing was bent downward outboard of the lift struts and the right sponson was twisted. The left forward lift strut was fractured. The engine assembly was twisted on the mount and the fuselage mounted fuel tank was filled with water.
Additional information
Following the on scene portion of the investigation, the wreckage was released to the owner.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5296C
- Reported as
- Keuthan, Charles J. Buccaneer II (BUCCANEER)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- B2B-F036
- Engine
- Rotax 382, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Keuthan, Charles J., doing business as Keuthan Aircraft
- Registered owner
- Kuethan, Charles, J.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 30, 1994
- Airport
- Vette Seaplane Base
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
- 20
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Military, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 234 total · 20 in this make and model · 196 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OSH, 5 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.