NYC06CA030

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 208 · Southampton, NY · November 15, 2005

Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
November 15, 2005, 10:05 local (15:05 UTC)
Place
Southampton, NY
Injuries
1 minor, 2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N117SACessna 208
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 28, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
62822

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The flight instructor's improper flare and his inadequate remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing.

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.

Hard landingLanding
Flare - improperPilot in command(cfi)Cause
Remedial action - inadequatePilot in command(cfi)Cause

Analysis

The certificated airline transport pilot was receiving instruction for a seaplane rating. He made three water landings in a float-equipped seaplane, and after the third landing, the flight instructor told him to climb to and maintain 100 feet. The pilot climbed the airplane to the assigned altitude, and made a left turn to a downwind leg at 80-85 knots. Once on the downwind leg, the instructor simulated an engine failure by pulling the power lever back to idle, and the pilot receiving instruction began a left turn to land into the wind. The instructor then told him to turn to the right, and subsequently joined him on the controls for the right turn. Neither pilot added power, and the airplane "landed hard," in a descending right turn, at an estimated 45-90 degrees from the wind line. Upon landing, the left float separated from the airplane, and the airplane subsequently sank. No mechanical anomalies were noted.

Factual narrative

The certificated airline transport pilot was receiving instruction for a seaplane rating. He made three water landings in a float-equipped seaplane, and after the third landing, the flight instructor told him to climb to and maintain 100 feet. The pilot climbed the airplane to the assigned altitude, and made a left turn to a downwind leg at 80-85 knots. Once on the downwind leg, the instructor simulated an engine failure by pulling the power lever back to idle, and the pilot receiving instruction began a left turn to land into the wind. The instructor then told him to turn to the right, and subsequently joined him on the controls for the right turn. Neither pilot added power, and the airplane "landed hard," in a descending right turn, at an estimated 45-90 degrees from the wind line. Upon landing, the left float separated from the airplane, and the airplane subsequently sank. No mechanical anomalies were noted.

Aircraft

Registration
N117SA
Reported as
Cessna 208
Category
Airplane
Serial number
20800117
Engine
Pratt & Whitney PT6-114A, turbo prop
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Registered owner
Shorline Aviation, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
BDR · Stratford, CT
Destination
NONE · Peconic Bay, NY

Flight crew · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Flight instructor
Age
34
Injuries
None
Certificates
Airline transport, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1
Flight hours
6,940 total · 1,878 in this make and model
Role
Student pilot
Injuries
None

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day