# NTSB NYC04LA130: High Craft Buccaneer, Glasco, NY, May 16, 2004

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 16, 2004, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place: Glasco, NY
- Coordinates: 42.349723, -73.949722
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.3497&lon=-73.9497&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report June 8, 2005
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 59284
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC04LA130
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59284/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC04LA130

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with the water.  A factor was the pilot's lack of experience in the airplane and his diverted attention.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of control - in flight, landing - flare/touchdown
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command
  - lack of experience, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - terrain condition - water

## Analysis

The pilot was preparing for a landing on the lake when he was "distracted" by people standing on the docks waving to him.  He stated that he removed his hand from the throttle to wave back, and the engine rpm decreased momentarily.  He then applied power; however, at an altitude of about 40 to 50 feet, he "inadvertently stalled the airplane," and it "pancaked" onto the water.  After impacting the water, the seaplane overturned, coming to rest inverted.  The pilot additionally stated that he had purchased the seaplane about three weeks prior to the accident, and the accident flight was his first flight in it.  He reported no mechanical deficiencies with the seaplane.

## Factual narrative

On May 16, 2004, at 1530 eastern daylight time, an unregistered amateur-built High Craft Buccaneer seaplane, was substantially damaged during landing on a lake in Glasco, New York.  The student pilot received minor injuries.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the student pilot, he was preparing for a landing on the lake when he was "distracted" by people standing on the docks waving to him.  He stated that he removed his hand from the throttle to wave back, and the engine rpm decreased momentarily.  He then applied power; however, at an altitude of about 40 to 50 feet, he "inadvertently stalled the airplane," and it "pancaked" onto the water.  After impacting the water, the seaplane overturned, coming to rest inverted.

The student pilot stated that he had purchased the seaplane about three weeks prior to the accident, and the accident flight was his first flight in it.  He also reported no mechanical deficiencies with the seaplane.

Examination of the seaplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage.

## Aircraft

- Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: High Craft Buccaneer
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: None
- Engines: Rotax 532 65 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Theodore Covert
- Registered owner: Theodore Covert
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: NONE, Glasco, NY
- Destination: NONE
- Airport: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 59; injuries: minor; student; medical: class 3, expired; seat: center; flight hours: 110 total, 0 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observed at: POU, 9 nm away

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.