# NTSB ERA24LA349: Smith T Gunter Quick Silver SP II, N2342D, Mobile, AL, August 16, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 16, 2024, 07:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place: Mobile, AL · Mobile Bay
- Coordinates: 30.535448, -88.023288 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5354&lon=-88.0233&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- 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
- NTSB case key (mKey): 194943
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA349
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/194943/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194943
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA349

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane in gusty wind conditions while flying low over water, which resulted in the floats impacting a wave and the airplane’s subsequent nose over into the water.

## 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: [Smith T Gunter QUICK SILVER SP II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056035O), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: variable wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Smith T Gunter QUICK SILVER SP II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025/cases.md?model=056035O), [All aircraft, 113 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034025/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Smith T Gunter QUICK SILVER SP II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=056035O), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Approach: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Smith T Gunter QUICK SILVER SP II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056035O), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

At the conclusion of the sightseeing and bird watching flight, the pilot reported he was flying low in preparation for a water landing in gusty wind conditions. While flying about 6 ft over the water surface, a wind gust subsided, and the airplane sank and began to stall. The front of the floats then impacted a small wave, resulting in the airplane nosing over into the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the right wing. The pilot reported there were no preimpact anomalies or mechanical failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2342D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2342D), registered now, S/N 0511 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SMITH T GUNTER QUICK SILVER SP II
- Registry model: [Smith T Gunter QUICK SILVER SP II](https://openairdocs.org/model/smith-t-gunter-quick-silver-sp-ii) (registry code 056035O) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 0511
- Year built: 1995
- Airframe hours: 312
- Engines: Rotax 503 53 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: 100 hour, August 15, 2024, 6 hours before
- Departed: Mobile, AL
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 78; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: sport pilot, unknown; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 2,200 total, 600 in this make and model, 2,200 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 80° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 9,500 ft broken
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Turbulence: Moderate
- Observed at: BFM, 5 nm away
- METAR: METAR KBFM 161253Z 08006KT 10SM SCT023 BKN095 29/25 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP176 T02940250=

## 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 20240816015259A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240816015259A), Aug 16, 2024: Smith T Gunter QUICK SILVER SP II, Mobile, AL, Destroyed. Pilot was flying low on approach to a water landing in Mobile bay, Mobile, Alabama. The left amphibious float struk the water first causing the aircraft to…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 19, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194943. 6.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 5.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17986806&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERALA349%20Pilot_s%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Mor - pilot interview summary (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17987071&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ERA24LA349%20ROC-Rel.pdf
- Mor - pilot's clarification of 6120 statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17986936&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20-%20Clarification%20of%20Pilot%27s%20Statement-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 981 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17987123&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs-Rel.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.

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