- Date
- April 4, 2020, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hickory, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N84PFLake LA4
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200404002209A
- Case key
- 101147
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 inadequate preflight planning and attempted takeoff with obstacles in the direction of departure, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane during the rejected takeoff.
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 amphibious airplane was conducting a takeoff from a lake when he rejected the takeoff because there were power lines and a bridge in the direction of takeoff and he was unsure whether the airplane would be able to clear them. During the rejected takeoff, he reduced engine power; however, the airplane became airborne. He initiated a slight right turn toward more open water. After touching down, the airplane "water looped." The aft portion of the fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the amphibious airplane was conducting a takeoff from a lake when he rejected the takeoff because there were power lines and a bridge in the direction of takeoff and he was unsure whether the airplane would be able to clear them. During the rejected takeoff, he reduced engine power; however, the airplane became airborne. He initiated a slight right turn toward more open water. After touching down, the airplane "water looped." The aft portion of the fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N84PF
- Reported as
- Lake LA4 (200)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1100
- Built
- 1984
- Airframe hours
- 5,975
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1B6, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 11, 2019 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- Hickory, NC
- Destination
- Hickory, NC
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, 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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 17, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,062 total · 1,726 in this make and model · 3,062 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.88 inHg
- Observed at
- KHKY, 5 nm away
Docket · 9
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 8, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 11.7 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.