# NTSB ERA17LA252: Cessna R172, N736NK, Naples, ME, July 16, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 16, 2017, 15:15 local (19:15 UTC) - Place: Naples, ME - Coordinates: 43.953887, -70.587501 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.9539&lon=-70.5875&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 20, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 95619 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA17LA252 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95619/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95619 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA252 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna R172K, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072431), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna R172K, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=2072431), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna R172K, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072431), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Landing: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093); cases with it: [Cessna R172K, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md?model=2072431), [All aircraft, 319 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/093/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot was conducting a personal, cross-country flight and was attempting to land on a choppy lake with heavy boat traffic. A witness stated that the airplane looked high and fast during its descent before touching down, and a review of a video of the accident sequence revealed rapid, abrupt rolling of the wings just before water contact. At touchdown, the airplane bounced and then rotated back and forth about the roll axis, alternately contacting the water with the left and right pontoons. The roll oscillations increased in magnitude until the right pontoon and right wingtip dragged the water, which brought the airplane to an abrupt stop with the right wingtip submerged. The right wing and horizontal stabilizer sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative On July 16, 2017, about 1515 eastern daylight time, a Cessna R172K, N736NK, was substantially damaged during landing at Brandy Pond Seaplane Base (5ME), Naples, Maine. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Biddeford Municipal Airport (B19), Biddeford, Maine. The pilot reported to local police that when the airplane landed it "bounced" and that he was "not entirely sure what happened" and felt that maybe one of the wings went into the water. In a statement provided to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot reported, "Upon water landing touchdown and after an otherwise normal circling approach the aircraft yaw and roll were uncontrollable. The aircraft rolled right and came to a stop with at least part of the right wing submerged." Multiple witnesses reported the water was "choppy" and "very busy" with boating activity. The landing was recorded by a boater on Brandy Pond at the time of the accident and posted on a commercial website. Examination of the video revealed rapid, abrupt rolling of the wings at a very low altitude just prior to water contact. At touchdown, the airplane bounced and then rotated back and forth about the roll axis, alternately contacting the water with the left and right pontoons. The roll oscillations increased in magnitude until the right pontoon and right wing tip dragged the water, which brought the airplane to an abrupt stop with the right wingtip submerged. One witness stated the water was rough and he thought the airplane looked high on its approach and was not landing into the wind. He stated the airplane was fast and did not decrease power until just before touchdown. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that the right wing and right horizontal stabilizer were substantially damaged. Flight control continuity was confirmed to all flight control surfaces. Movement of the elevator was restricted due to impact damage. The four-seat, high wing, amphibious airplane, was powered by a Continental IO-360, 210 horsepower engine. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, and airplane single-engine sea. He reported 650 hours of total flight experience on his most recent application for an FAA third-class medical certificate, which was issued on February 28, 2017. The closest weather reporting facility was Auburn/Lewiston Municipal Airport (LEW), Auburn, Maine, about 14 miles east of the accident site. At 1656, weather included wind from 170° at 12 knots; clear skies; visibility 10 statute miles; temperature, 28° C; dew point, 18° C; and an altimeter setting 29.91 inches of mercury. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N736NK](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N736NK), registered now, S/N R1722656, built 1977 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA R172 (K) - Registry model: [Cessna R172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r172k) (registry code 2072431) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-360-series) (registry code 17025, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: R1722656 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 2271 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO-360 SER 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 3, 2017 - Departed: B19, BIDDEFORD, ME - Destination: 5ME, Naples, ME - Airport: 5ME, Brandy Pond, runway 35W, 7,200 × 600 ft, water - Equipment: Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 16, 2017; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 650 total, 620 in this make and model, 650 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.90 inHg - Observed at: KLEW, 14 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20170716012429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170716012429A), Jul 16, 2017: Cessna R172K, Naples, ME, Substantial damage. During landing on brandy pond, the aircraft impacted the water in a flat attitude and bounced multiple times. Normal water landing conditions were present, and… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 28, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95619. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 447 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476913&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Photo Array (item 2, .PDF, 2 photos, 542 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476914&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array-Master.PDF - Report from Local Agencies (item 3, .PDF, 90 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476915&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Report%20from%20Local%20Agencies-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 4, .PDF, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476916&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.