- Date
- October 3, 1992, 18:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Franklin, NH
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8549ZLake LA-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921003039899A
- Case key
- 37248
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 misjudged touchdown on the water which resulted in a porpoised landing. Also causal to the accident was his improper recovery from the porpoise, resulting in a loss of airplane control and collision with the water. Factors related to the accident were; the glossy water conditions, and the pilot's lack of experience in water landings.
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 had just received his seaplane rating and was making his first solo water landing. The passenger said the water was 'completely glossy.' During the touchdown the airplane began to porpoise and the airplane struck the water nose first and nosed over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8549Z
- Reported as
- Lake LA-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 115
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-C4B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Lake Aircraft, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Lake Aircraft, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- LCI · Laconia, NH
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 357 total · 45 in this make and model · 241 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LCI, 25 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.