- Date
- April 1, 2012, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Havasu City, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N32LBLake LA-4-200
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 15, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20120401005149A
- Case key
- 83270
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 did not maintain directional control during a water touchdown.
Findings · 2
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 stated that he was performing a water landing in a cove with gusty wind conditions. The airplane touched down twice and, on the third touchdown, veered violently to the left. He believed that he either “chined and waterlooped” or that the left sponson contacted the water first. Both sponsons and the left wing tip were substantially damaged. Additionally, the left side of the airplane’s nose and left fuselage at the pilot entry station were wrinkled and bent.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he was performing a water landing and believes the left sponson contacted the water about the same time as the hull. The airplane water-looped, bending both sponsons and the left wing tip. Additionally, the left side of the airplane’s nose and left fuselage at the pilot entry station were wrinkled and bent.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N32LB
- Reported as
- Lake LA-4-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 631
- Airframe hours
- 3,514
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sheble Aviation
- Registered owner
- Sheble Joseph F III
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 7, 2011
- Departed
- A20 · Fort Mohave, AZ
- Destination
- A20 · Fort Mohave, AZ
- Flight plan
- Unknown
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
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 3, 2012
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total · 43 in this make and model · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- EED, 24 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 19, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.