- Date
- May 17, 2000, 19:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Morganton, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8096ADaniel A. Shapiro Searey 1DK
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 17, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000517008899A
- Case key
- 49224
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 inadvertent forward elevator input by the pilot-in-command while reducing throttle control resulting in the airplane nose-over.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated that after takeoff he performed airwork then flew towards Lake James and landed on the water that had 2-3 inch ripples. After touchdown he climbed about 1 foot above the water then elected to land on the water where he planned a full stop landing. After the second landing, he reduced the throttle control and noted that the airplane immediately nosed over. He further stated that this was his first time landing on the water after building the airplane. Post accident examination of the airplane by the pilot revealed that the main and tail wheel were retracted. He also stated that the throttle was stiff and when he retarded the throttle, he may have pushed on the yoke.
Factual narrative
On May 17, 2000, about 1930 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt amphibian 1DK, N8096A, registered to a private individual, nosed over after touchdown on Lake James, near Morganton, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private rated-pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 1830 from a private airstrip named Clyde Valley, located near Morganton, North Carolina.
The pilot stated that after takeoff he performed airwork then flew towards Lake James and landed on the water that had 2-3 inch ripples. After touchdown he climbed about 1 foot above the water then elected to land on the water where he planned a full stop landing. After the second landing, he reduced the throttle control and noted that the airplane immediately nosed over. He further stated that this was his first time landing on the water after building the airplane. Postaccident examination of the airplane by the pilot revealed that the main and tail wheel were retracted. He also stated that the throttle was stiff and when he retarded the throttle, he may have pushed on the yoke.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8096A
- Reported as
- Daniel A. Shapiro Searey 1DK
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 104
- Airframe hours
- 8
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 95 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Daniel A. Shapiro
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · May 8, 2000 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- 3NC0 · Morganton, NC
- Destination
- NONE
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 268 total · 8 in this make and model · 160 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MRN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.