- Date
- July 10, 1989, 18:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Pahokee, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4453Grumman G-44
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 22, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890710021539A
- Case key
- 32456
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 inadvertent loss of airplane control, while on the water, which resulted in a swerve and subsequent accident.
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 plt stated that he had completed 2 t.o.& ldgs while keeping the acft on the step. After the 3rd ldg, while transitioning from step taxi to plow taxi, the plt stated he thought he struck a 'mud bank.' This caused the rt wing to be raised to a point where there was insufficient aileron to keep the lt float out of the water. He stated the acft veered lt, then flipped up-side down in about 18 inches of water, tearing off a section of the rt wing. Local law personnel stated the water is about 18 inches deep in all direction for over a mile from the crash site and there are no 'mud banks' or other obstructions. He stated there are some 'holes' where the depth increases, but no shallower areas. The plt stated there were no mechanical problems with the acft prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4453
- Reported as
- Grumman G-44
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31
- Airframe hours
- 750
- Engine
- Lycoming R-680-13, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Rodney N. Matthews
- Registered owner
- Fred R. Garrison
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 21, 1988 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- 3X1 · Delray Beach, 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
- 45
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,200 total · 40 in this make and model · 5,688 as pilot in command · 80 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBI, 37 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.