- Date
- October 20, 1990, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lakeville, MA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N17116Stinson SR8C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901020046529A
- Case key
- 36827
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 misjudged his altitude above the lake water and allowed the airplane to descend while making a left turn. Factor's related to the accident were: calm winds causing the lake water to be glassy.
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 maneuvering his airplane at a low altitude sight- seeing and taking pictures over a lake. He made a left turn in order to get the sun out of his eyes. Which was reflecting off the glassy water on the lake. As the pilot made the left turn the airplane descended and struck the water. The pilot said, 'closer attention to my altitude would have prevented this accident.'
Aircraft
- Registration
- N17116
- Reported as
- Stinson SR8C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 9801
- Engine
- Lycoming R-680-E3B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Joseph Vintro, Jr, doing business as Mcgrath Air Leasing, Inc
- Departed
- TAN · Taunton, MA
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
- 50
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.