- Date
- November 14, 2015, 14:10 local (19:10 UTC)
- Place
- Morganton, NC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1204LConsolidated Aeronautics Lake LA-4
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Adminstration
- FAA report
- 20151114022009A
- Case key
- 92372
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 maintain directional control during the departure, resulting in substantial damage to the airplanes right wing.
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 of the amphibious airplane, during the takeoff run on a lake with choppy water, the airplane encountered about a six inch high wave and water-looped. The pilot reported that upon encountering the wave, the airplane's nose pitched up, the airplane ascended momentarily, then settled to the water. When the airplane settled into the water, the right sponson and wing impacted the water and immediately spun the aircraft to the right. The airplanes right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot of the amphibious airplane, during the takeoff run on a lake with choppy water, the airplane encountered about a six inch high wave and water-looped. The pilot reported that upon encountering the wave, the airplane's nose pitched up, the airplane ascended momentarily, then settled to the water. When the airplane settled into the water, the right sponson and wing impacted the water and immediately spun the aircraft to the right. The airplanes right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1204L
- Reported as
- Consolidated Aeronautics Lake LA-4 (200)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 709
- Built
- 1975
- Airframe hours
- 1,082.8
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1B, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Converting Solutions Inc
- Registered owner
- Converting Solutions Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 4, 2014
- Departed
- IPJ · Lincolnton, NC
- Destination
- IPJ · Lincolnton, NC
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 10, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 452.6 total · 226.1 in this make and model · 378.2 as pilot in command · 70.4 in the last 90 days · 20.7 in the last 30 days · 0.8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 5 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.35 inHg
- Observed at
- KMRN, 7 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 8, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 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.