- Date
- July 27, 2017, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Priest River, ID
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N302DMMcintosh Donald W Kitfox Series 7
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170727024549A
- Case key
- 95681
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 lateral/bank control during the landing in variable gusting wind conditions.
Findings · 4
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 float-equipped airplane reported that, during a water landing, "immediately upon touchdown, the tail came up to the right and the plane veered left." He added that he applied "hard left aileron," but the right wing tip impacted the water, and the airplane spun to a stop. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station 14 nautical miles northeast from the accident site reported, about the time of the accident, wind from 170° at 6 knots. The pilot reported the wind was variable at 5 knots, gusting to 11 knots. He added that the landing direction was to the southeast.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, during a water landing, "immediately upon touchdown, the tail came up to the right and the plane veered left." He added that he applied "hard left aileron," but the right wing tip impacted the water and the airplane spun to a stop. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An automated weather observation station, about the time of the accident, 14 nautical miles northeast from the accident site, reported wind from 170° at 6 knots. The pilot reported the wind was variable at 5 knots, gusting to 11 knots. He added that the landing direction was to the southeast.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N302DM
- Reported as
- Mcintosh Donald W Kitfox Series 7 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- S70407064
- Built
- 2010
- Airframe hours
- 678
- Engine
- Jabiru 3300A, 120 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · February 14, 2017
- Departed
- SZT · Sandpoint, ID
- Destination
- SZT · Sandpoint, ID
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Satellite tracking device, 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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 22, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 929 total · 678 in this make and model · 819 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KSZT, 14 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 20, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.