- Date
- September 24, 2018, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Raquette Lake, NY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N52DAAviat A1
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 8, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180924014069A
- Case key
- 98366
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 control after landing on water in gusting wind conditions.
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
The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, during approach to land on a lake, he aligned the airplane based on wind indications on the water as well as observing other seaplanes. After the water landing, while slowing and coming off the step, a wind gust lifted the airplane's right wing, the left float hit the water, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot and pilot-rated owner egressed and were rescued by boaters. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was from 090° at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. A weather station about 8 miles southwest of the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 185° at 7.8 mph, gusting to 10.3 mph.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, during approach to land on a lake, he aligned the airplane based on wind indications on the water as well as observing other seaplanes. After the water landing, while slowing and coming off the step, a wind gust lifted the right wing, the left float dug into the water, and the airplane nosed over. The pilot and pilot rated owner egressed and were rescued by boaters. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was from 090° at 10 knots, gusting to 15 knots. A weather station, located about 8 miles to the southwest of the accident site, about the time of the accident, reported temperature 63°F, dew point 46°F, and wind from 185° at 7.8 mph, gusting to 10.3 mph.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52DA
- Reported as
- Aviat A1 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2033
- Built
- 1999
- Airframe hours
- 933.5
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2018
- Departed
- Eagle Bay, NY
- Destination
- Raquette Lake, NY
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 2, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 2,260 total · 23 in this make and model · 2,186 as pilot in command · 63 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2.2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea
- Medical
- BasicMed
- Last flight review
- May 23, 2018
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1,679 total · 90 in this make and model · 1,520 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.45 inHg
- Observed at
- KSLK, 39 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 14, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.