- Date
- September 6, 2014, 12:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Gunthersville, AL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7089BPiper PA-18A-150
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- FAA report
- 20140906018699A
- Case key
- 90057
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 retract the landing gear wheels prior to a water landing, resulting in a nose over upon touchdown.
Findings · 3
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
According to the pilot, he was performing both water and pavement touch-and-go landings in his amphibious airplane. On final approach for a water landing, he observed a jet ski come out of a slew area and his attention was drawn to it. Upon landing, "I found myself inverted." Federal Aviation Administration inspectors responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The landing gear and the cockpit-mounted landing gear switch were found in the down (extended) positions. A cockpit placard was installed, that stated, "DO NOT LAND ON WATER UNLESS GEAR IS FULLY RETRACTED." The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he was performing both water and pavement touch-and-go landings in his amphibious airplane. On final approach for a water landing, he observed a jet ski come out of a slew area and his attention was drawn to it. Upon landing, "I found myself inverted." Federal Aviation Administration inspectors responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The landing gear and the cockpit-mounted landing gear switch were found in the down (extended) positions. A cockpit placard was installed, that stated, "DO NOT LAND ON WATER UNLESS GEAR IS FULLY RETRACTED." The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7089B
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18A-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-5172
- Built
- 1956
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2014
- Departed
- 8A1 · Guntersville, AL
- Destination
- 8A1 · Guntersville, AL
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 31, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 3,300 total · 250 in this make and model · 2,800 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.07 inHg
- Observed at
- 8A0, 10 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 15, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.5 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.