- Date
- June 29, 2008, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Groveland, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N463ATYowell Mallard II
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20080629839399A
- Case key
- 68328
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 failure to use the checklist and his failure to retract the landing gear for a water landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot/owner and the pilot-rated passenger departed in the amateur-built amphibious Mallard II from the land-based airport in order to practice water landings on a nearby lake. The purpose of the flight was to provide the passenger with experience that would assist him in making a decision about purchasing a similar airplane. The passenger was seated in the left seat, and the pilot was seated in the right seat of the dual-control airplane. The pilot reported that the airplane's tail lifted excessively when takeoff power was applied, and that this, combined with an unrelated problem with the headsets, distracted the two occupants during the 3-minute flight to the lake. As the airplane approached for the first landing on the lake, the pilot discussed the descent, power settings, wind conditions, and airspeeds with the passenger. However, neither the pilot nor the passenger who was manipulating the controls used any pre-landing or landing checklists, and they neglected to retract the landing gear for the water landing. When the landing gear contacted the lake surface, the airplane nosed over inverted, which substantially damaged the fuselage and wing.
Factual narrative
The pilot/owner and the pilot-rated passenger departed in the amateur-built amphibious Mallard II from the land-based airport, in order to practice water landings on a nearby lake. The purpose of the flight was to provide the passenger with experience that would assist him in making a decision about purchasing a similar airplane. The passenger was seated in the left seat, and the pilot was seated in the right seat of the dual-control airplane. The pilot reported that the airplane's tail lifted excessively when takeoff power was applied, and that this, combined with an unrelated problem with the headsets, distracted the two occupants during the 3-minute flight to the lake. As the airplane approached for the first landing on the lake, the pilot discussed the descent, power settings, wind conditions, and airspeeds with the passenger. However, neither the pilot, nor the passenger who was manipulating the controls, utilized any pre-landing or landing checklists, and they neglected to retract the landing gear for the water landing. When the landing gear contacted the lake surface, the airplane nosed over inverted, which substantially damaged the fuselage and wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N463AT
- Reported as
- Yowell Mallard II
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2M002
- Airframe hours
- 900
- Engine
- Rotax 912S, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special); Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2007
- Departed
- 3FD4 · Minneola, FL
- Destination
- NONE · Groveland, FL
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- April 11, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 280 total · 100 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- January 1, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 280 total · 100 in this make and model · 250 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- LEE, 17 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.