# NTSB NYC03LA178: Aerofab Lake 250, N8550U, Phippsburg, ME, August 17, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 17, 2003, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC) - Place: Phippsburg, ME - Coordinates: 43.888889, -69.936111 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.8889&lon=-69.9361&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 57714 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC03LA178 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57714/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC03LA178 ## Probable cause The airplane's collision with a submerged object during a water landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - On ground/water collision with object, landing - flare/touchdown - object - submerged object ## Analysis The pilot overflew the pond prior to landing, and did not observe any boat traffic, or debris on the water. He performed one touch-and-go landing, and returned for a second landing. The touchdown was "normal," and during the landing rollout the airplane started to come off the step and began to turn to the left, "like it had hooked something." The pilot taxied to the shore and docked the airplane, at which time he realized he "must have hit something on the bottom of the pond," since there was mud in the lower nose gear doors. ## Factual narrative On August 17, 2003, at 1200 eastern daylight time, a Lake 250 amphibian airplane, N8550U, was substantially damaged during landing on Center Pond, Phippsburg, Maine. The airline transport pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, he overflow the pond prior to landing, and did not observe any boat traffic, or debris on the water. He performed one touch-and-go landing, and returned for a second landing. The touchdown was "normal," and during the landing rollout the airplane started to come off the step and began to turn to the left, "like it had hooked something." The pilot taxied to the shore and docked the airplane, at which time he realized he "must have hit something on the bottom of the pond," since there was mud in the lower nose gear doors. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane, the left wing, left wing spar, and left sponson sustained substantial damage. No mechanical deficiencies were noted. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8550U](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8550U), registered now, S/N 122, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aerofab Inc. LAKE 250 - Registry model: [Aerofab LAKE 250](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerofab-lake-250) (registry code 5110322) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 122 - Airframe hours: 675 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Peter Thompson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 4, 2002, 59 hours before - Departed: NONE, Phippsburg, ME - Destination: NONE, Phippsburg, ME ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; commercial, flight engineer, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review August 14, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 17,300 total, 300 in this make and model, 10,300 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 4 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: NHZ, 6 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 20030817020449A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030817020449A), Aug 17, 2003: Lakeac 250LAKE, Phippsburg, ME, Substantial damage. (-23) At approximately 1500 hours on August 17, 2003 a lake 250, registration N8550U operated by peter s. thompson, was operating in the area of Phippsburg, ME… 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.