- Date
- May 12, 2004, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Halifax, MA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N17MRAviat A-1B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 1, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040512008119A
- Case key
- 59319
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 inadequate flare during landing, which resulted in an in-flight collision with water. A factor was the glassy water conditions.
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 was practicing takeoffs and landings on a pond. During an approach to the pond, the pilot noted that the winds were light and variable, which caused glassy water conditions. Prior to the landing flare, the pilot was having difficulty referencing his height above the water. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the water nose-low. The float tips submerged, and the airplane came to rest inverted.
Factual narrative
On May 12, 2004, about 1030 eastern daylight time, an Aviat A-1B Husky amphibian, N17MR, was substantially damaged while landing on Monponsett Pond, Halifax, Massachusetts. The certificated private pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Marshfield Municipal Airport (3B2), Marshfield, Massachusetts. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that he flew to Monponsett Pond with the intention of practicing takeoffs and landings on the water. During the approach to the pond, the pilot noted that the winds were light and variable, which caused glassy water conditions. Prior to the landing flare, the pilot was having difficulty referencing his height above the water. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the water nose-low. The float tips submerged, and the airplane came to rest inverted. The pilot was able to exit the airplane before it sank.
The pilot did not report any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N17MR
- Reported as
- Aviat A-1B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2215
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Marcos Sastre
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 3B2 · Marshfield, MA
- Destination
- MA6 · Halifax, MA
- Airport
- MA6 · Monponsett Pond
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
- 58
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 65 in this make and model · 543 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- PYM, 7 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.