- Date
- March 27, 2014, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Dadeville, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N59AWAviat A 1B
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area overshoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140327002689A
- Case key
- 88987
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 obtain the proper touchdown point while landing on a lake with a tailwind.
Findings · 4
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 he was attempting to land on a lake with a tailwind. He circled the landing zone once and verified that there was no debris in the water. During the landing flare, the airplane floated beyond the intended touchdown point and was nearing the shore. The pilot initially added power to go-around, but then reduced power when he did not think the airplane would clear the trees near the shoreline. The airplane subsequently nosed over and came to rest in the water. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The landing gear was retracted into the floats. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the amphibian airplane reported that he was attempting to land on a lake with a tailwind. He circled the landing zone once and verified that there was no debris in the water. During the landing flare, the airplane floated beyond the intended touchdown point and was nearing the shore. The pilot initially added power to go-around, but then reduced power when he did not think the airplane would clear the trees near the shoreline. The airplane subsequently nosed over and came to rest in the water. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The landing gear was retracted into the floats. The pilot added that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N59AW
- Reported as
- Aviat A 1B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2058
- Built
- 2000
- Airframe hours
- 608
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Douglas Zeiger
- Registered owner
- Huskyaire LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 3, 2014 · 28 hours before
- Departed
- AL71 · Our Town, AL
- Destination
- Dadeville, AL
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 11, 2014
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 247 total · 36 in this make and model · 186 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 7 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Turbulence
- Light
- Observed at
- ALX, 9 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 23, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 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.