- Date
- September 7, 2019, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lakeport, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N16XCSiai-Marchetti SM 1019
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 11, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 100217
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 exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff in gusting, variable wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and subsequent impact with water.
Findings · 5
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, while taking off from a lake, the airplane accelerated, became airborne and that, about 40 ft above the water, he retracted the flaps. The airplane pitched down, and the left wing dropped. He attempted to correct to no avail, and the airplane impacted the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that he believed P factor caused the left roll because the airplane aerodynamically stalled and would not correct despite his attempts to do so. He also stated that he had accrued 5 hours in the airplane make and model, 2 hours of which occurred in the preceding 30 days. The pilot reported that it was a very windy, gusty day and that the wind was variable. An automated weather observation station located 15 miles west of the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 300° at 14 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The airplane was departing to the south.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, while taking off from a lake, the airplane accelerated, became airborne, and about 40 ft above the water, he retracted the flaps. The airplane pitched down and the left wing dropped. He attempted to correct to no avail and the airplane impacted the water. The pilot reported that he believed P factor caused the left roll because the airplane was aerodynamically stalling and would not correct, despite his attempts. The pilot reported that he had accrued 5 hours in the airplane make and model, 2 hours of which occurred in the preceding 30 days. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage and both wings. 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, it was a very windy, gusty day, and the wind varied in direction. An airport's automated weather observation station, located 15 miles west, reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 300° at 14 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The airplane was departing to the south.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N16XC
- Reported as
- Siai-Marchetti SM 1019
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 045
- Built
- 1979
- Airframe hours
- 1,639.05
- Engine
- Allison 250-B15G, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 3, 2019
- Departed
- Lakeport, CA
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Auto-pilot
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
- 72
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 9, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 7,777 total · 5 in this make and model · 7,777 as pilot in command · 64 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KUKI, 15 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 30, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB in all.