- Date
- August 4, 2001, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pensacola, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N112MDMorton S. Dismuke Spencer Amphib 1-12E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010804020329A
- Case key
- 52940
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 dragging of the right wing during water operations for undetermined reasons resulting in the airplane flipping inverted.
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 they landed on Perdido and to perform water maneuvers. During the first water maneuver the airplane developed a tendency to turn to the right as it gained speed. On the second maneuver, at 20 to 25 knots, the airplane again started turning to the right. He reduced engine power to investigate what was wrong, and when he did the right wing went further into the water and the airplane turned over inverted. The left wing went into the water and contacted the bottom of the bay. Their intentions, had the accident not occurred, was to take off after high speed taxiing and return to Coastal Airport. Postcrash examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector showed the right float was damaged during the accident and it could not be determined what was causing the airplane to turn right during water operations..
Factual narrative
On August 4, 2001, about 1530 central daylight time, a Morton S. Dismuke Spencer Amphib 1-12E, N112MD, registered to an individual, crashed while performing high speed taxiing on Perdido Bay, near Pensacola, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Coastal Airport, Pensacola, Florida, the same day, about 1400.
The pilot stated that after departing Coastal Airport, they flew to Ferguson Airport for fuel. After refueling, they departed Ferguson Airport and performed five water landings and takeoffs. They landed on Perdido and to perform water maneuvers. During the first water maneuver the airplane developed a tendency to turn to the right as it gained speed. On the second maneuver, at 20 to 25 knots, the airplane again started turning to the right. He reduced engine power to investigate what was wrong, and when he did the right wing went further into the water and the airplane turned over inverted. The left wing went into the water and contacted the bottom of the bay. Their intentions, had the accident not occurred, was to take off after high speed taxiing and return to Coastal Airport.
Postcrash examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector showed the right float was damaged during the accident and it could not be determined what caused the airplane to turn right during water operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N112MD
- Reported as
- Morton S. Dismuke Spencer Amphib 1-12E
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 201
- Airframe hours
- 824
- Engine
- Continental C-285-C2, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Antony E. Fiorentino
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 5, 2000 · 31 hours before
- Departed
- 83J · Pensacola, FL
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
- 65
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- August 7, 1999
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,500 total · 100 in this make and model · 5,400 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- PNS, 8 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.