# NTSB MIA98LA184: Progressive Aerodyne Stingray, N6277K, Lake Tarpon, FL, June 19, 1998

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: June 19, 1998, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place: Lake Tarpon, FL
- Coordinates: 28.140756, -82.779006 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.1408&lon=-82.7790&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 8, 1998
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 38536
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA98LA184
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38536/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA184

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to insure that the landing gear was in the up-and-locked position prior to the water landing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Wheels down landing in water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - gear retraction - not verified, pilot in command (cause)
  - wheels down landing in water - inadvertent, pilot in command

## Analysis

The pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings at Lake Tarpon.  During the approach for the second touch-and-go, he checked the landing gear handle to insure that it was in the up position, but could not remember the position of the landing gear lock before or after touchdown.  Upon landing, the landing gear was unlocked, the airplane nosed down in the water momentarily, and came to rest in an upright position.  Examination of the landing gear revealed no evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction.

## Factual narrative

On June 19, 1998, about 1000 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Progressive Stingray amphibious aircraft, N6277K, registered to a private individual, operated as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed on landing at Lake Tarpon, Florida.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.  The airplane was substantially damaged, and the commercial-rated pilot was not injured.  The flight originated from Lake Tarpon about 10 minutes before the accident.

The pilot stated that he was conducting touch-and-go landings on the lake, and during the second approach, he checked the landing gear handle to insure that it was in the up position, but he could not remember the position of the landing gear lock before or after touchdown.  The airplane was landed with the gear unlocked, then nosed down in the water momentarily, and came to rest in an upright position.

Examination of the landing gear by an FAA inspector revealed that the landing gear mechanical linkage was intact.  All rods and linkages were connected and secured.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6277K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6277K-2018-01-05), registration cancelled 2018-01-05, S/N 2DK006, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Progressive Aerodyne Inc. STINGRAY
- Registry model: [Gomez Rodrigo STING-RAY](https://openairdocs.org/model/gomez-rodrigo-sting-ray) (registry code 0560353) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 20K006
- Airframe hours: 26
- Engines: Rotax 4401101 80 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Robert Roosen
- Registered owner: Rodrigo Gomez
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: 100 hour, April 26, 1998, 6 hours before

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 71; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 1,915 total, 4 in this make and model, 1,807 as pilot in command, 14 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 280° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 97 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: TPA, 13 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19980619014919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980619014919A), Jun 19, 1998: Amtr STINGRAY, Lake Tarpon, FL, Substantial damage. Amphibious aircraft crashed landing on lake had failed to lock gear in up position no mechanical problems. (-23) amphibious aircraft touched down with landing…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.