- Date
- January 10, 2014, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Havasu, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6136TMaule M 7-235
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 5, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20140110000259A
- Case key
- 88663
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 pilots' failure to verify the landing gear position prior to the water landing and the pilot/examiner's failure to adequately monitor the pilot.
Findings · 4
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 reported that following an uneventful takeoff in the amphibious float equipped airplane, he intended on performing a water landing at a nearby lake as part of his checkride. During the water landing, the airplane immediately nosed over which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot stated that he had become distracted after takeoff and did not retract the landing gear for the water landing. The designated pilot examiner onboard the airplane, reported that he did not confirm the position of the landing gear prior to the water landing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that following an uneventful takeoff in the amphibious float equipped airplane, he intended on performing a water landing at a nearby lake as part of his checkride. During the water landing, the airplane immediately nosed over which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot stated that he had become distracted after takeoff and did not retract the landing gear for the water landing. The designated pilot examiner onboard the airplane, reported that he did not confirm the position of the landing gear prior to the water landing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6136T
- Reported as
- Maule M 7-235 (235)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4076C
- Built
- 1989
- Airframe hours
- 1,451
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-J1A5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Operator
- North Aire LLC
- Registered owner
- Dvtone LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 14, 2013
- Departed
- HII · Lake Havasu City, AZ
- Destination
- HII · Lake Havasu City, AZ
- Airport
- HII · Lake Havasu City
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- Check pilot
- Age
- 76
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 6, 2012
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 4,500 total · 4,000 as pilot in command · 77 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 2.7 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 29, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 574 total · 5 in this make and model · 450 as pilot in command · 116 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- HII, 5 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 538 KB 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.