- Date
- August 2, 2013, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Eagle Bay, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N555AXPiper/Cub Crafters PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130802013499A
- Case key
- 87695
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 set the engine throttle to full power during a go-around.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the amphibian airplane reported that she was flying a visual approach to a lake, over mountainous terrain. On an approximate 3/4 mile final approach to the lake, she observed a boat near her intended landing area and performed a go-around to circle for another approach. During the go-around and turn, the pilot did not move the throttle lever to full power. About one-fourth through the turn, she noticed the airplane was descending and increased engine power. The airplane continued to descend and she increased engine power a second time; however, one of the airplane's floats contacted a tree and the airplane impacted the ground. The pilot further stated that the accident could have been prevented if she had flown a higher approach and increased the throttle to full engine power immediately during the go-around. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane and the inspector did not observe any.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the amphibian airplane reported that she was flying a visual approach to a lake, over mountainous terrain. On an approximate 3/4 mile final approach to the lake, she observed a boat near her intended landing area and performed a go-around to circle for another approach. During the go-around and turn, the pilot did not move the throttle lever to full power. About one-fourth through the turn, she noticed the airplane was descending and increased engine power. The airplane continued to descend and she increased engine power a second time; however, one of the airplane's floats contacted a tree and the airplane impacted the ground. The pilot further stated that the accident could have been prevented if she had flown a higher approach and increased the throttle to full engine power immediately during the go-around. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane and the inspector did not observe any.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N555AX
- Reported as
- Piper/Cub Crafters PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 9927CC
- Airframe hours
- 665
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dew Donald H
- Registered owner
- Dew Donald H
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 25, 2013 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Inlet, NY
- Destination
- Eagle Bay, NY
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
- 52
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 27, 2012
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 470 total · 46 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- GTB, 40 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 15, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.