# NTSB SEA04LA183: Piper PA-18, N2415P, Blaine, WA, September 5, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 4, 2004, 19:20 local (Sep 5, 2004, 02:20 UTC) - Place: Blaine, WA - Coordinates: 48.972221, -122.748611 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.9722&lon=-122.7486&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report January 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Seattle FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 60079 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA04LA183 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60079/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA04LA183 ## Probable cause The instructor pilot's inadequate remedial action during his student's final approach for a simulated engine out water landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - emergency procedure - simulated, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - terrain condition - water - remedial action - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) ## Analysis As the private pilot-rated student was climbing through 400 feet above the water in the float-equipped airplane, the instructor pilot pulled the power to idle and instructed the student to execute a simulated engine-out forced landing on the waters of a bay. The student then established the aircraft in a controlled slip in order to descend to the point at which he wanted to touch down. When the aircraft was about 50 feet above the water, and still in a slip, the instructor, who had just warned the student to watch the airspeed, thought that the aircraft was about to enter a stall. In order to keep the aircraft from entering the stall, the instructor added full power and pushed forward on the control stick. The aircraft then pitched down and impacted the surface of the water in a 30 to 40 degree nose-down attitude. It was the opinion of the student that the aircraft was not about to enter a stall, but that the instructor pilot misinterpreted some light turbulence, and the wing-low attitude created by the slip, as the beginning of a stall. ## Factual narrative On September 4, 2004, approximately 1920 Pacific daylight time, a float-equipped Piper PA-18, N2415P, impacted the waters of Drayton Harbor, Blaine, Washington, while on final approach for a simulated engine-out landing. The flight instructor and his private pilot-rated dual-student both received minor injuries, and the aircraft, which is co-owned by the flight instructor, sustained substantial damage. This segment of the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, which was initiated about five minutes prior to the accident, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an ELT activation. According to both the dual student and the flight instructor, the purpose of the flight was to continue the student's training process toward his upcoming single-engine seaplane practical flight test. On the day of the accident, the student had completed four takeoffs and landings to a full stop, and then after landing to refuel the aircraft, the instructor told his student that they were going to practice crosswind landings. As the student was climbing through 400 feet above the water, the instructor pulled the power to idle and instructed the student to execute a simulated engine-out landing. The student then established the aircraft in a controlled slip in order to descend to the point at which he wanted to touch down. When the aircraft was about 50 feet above the water, still in a slip, the instructor, who had just warned the student to watch the airspeed, sensed that the aircraft was about to enter a stall. The instructor therefore pushed the throttle full forward and pushed forward on the control stick. Within two to three seconds after the instructor made these inputs, the aircraft impacted the surface of the water in a 30 to 40 degree nose-down attitude. According to the student, he had been repeatedly checking to make sure the airspeed was at 60 mph during the approach, and when the instructor told him to check the airspeed, it was still at 60 mph. It was the opinion of the student that the aircraft was not about to enter a stall, but that the instructor misinterpreted some light turbulence and the wing-low attitude created by the slip as the beginning of a stall. According to the student, he looked at the airspeed just as the instructor took control of the aircraft, and it was indicating 60 mph. After the accident, the co-owner of the aircraft, who is an airline transport pilot and the father of the instructor, made arrangements with a local commercial operator to remove the aircraft from the waters of the bay. The aircraft was then removed from the bay and taken to a location near the home of the co-owners. Neither owner/pilot notified the NTSB that the accident had taken place, nor sought permission from the NTSB to move the wreckage. The NTSB became aware of the accident when a witness reported the occurrence to the FAA, and the FAA passed the information on to the NTSB. According to an FAA Airworthiness Inspector who inspected the aircraft after the accident, there was no indication that there had been any anomaly in the flight control system, nor any indication that there had been a problem with the engine. It was the opinion of both pilots that there had not been any malfunction of the airframe or the engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2415P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2415P), registered now, S/N 18-4290, built 1955 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-18 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18A 150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18a-150) (registry code 7101837) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-4290 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-A2B 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Guy R and Tyler R Glahn - Registered owner: Tyler R. Glahn - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: Blaine, WA - Destination: Blaine, WA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 20; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review July 15, 2003; seat: rear; flight hours: 650 total, 300 in this make and model, 590 as pilot in command - Pilot; age 50; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review September 18, 2003; seat: front; flight hours: 173 total, 5 in this make and model, 108 as pilot in command, 11 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 7 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040904021399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040904021399A), Sep 4, 2004: Piper PA18A150, Blaine, WA, Substantial damage. (-23) On September 4, 2004 at approximately 1909 hrs PDT tyler glahn was giving flight instruction to john becker in tyler glahn's float equipped Piper PA-18… 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.