# NTSB WPR26LA090: Lake LA-4-200, N48X, Dewey, WA, January 17, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: January 16, 2026, 16:09 local (Jan 17, 2026, 00:09 UTC)
- Place: Dewey, WA
- Coordinates: 48.438458, -122.61397 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.4385&lon=-122.6140&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202343
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA090
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202343/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA090

## Preliminary report

On January 16, 2026, at 1609 Pacific daylight time, a Lake LA-4-200, N48X sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Dewey, Washington. The flight instructor and student pilot were uninjured. The amphibious airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor stated that he was conducting familiarization training with a student. They departed Skagit Regional Airport (BVS), Burlington/Mount Vernon, Washington, and were performing water landings at Lake Campbell, Washington. Upon touching down on the water the nose pitched forward in the water, resulting in a broken windscreen and substantial damage to the airplane. The engine would not start so they paddled to shore. Preliminary examination of the airplane showed damage to the nose gear doors. The flight instructor believed that the nose landing gear was prevented from retracting completely due to wheel contact with the landing gear door. The flight instructor told investigators that he visually confirmed the main landing gear were retracted prior to landing using the convex mirrors located on the aircraft’s sponsons. The airplane was retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096) (defining event); cases with it: [Lake LA-4-200, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=5110310), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N48X](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N48X), registered now, S/N 560, built 1973 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: LAKE LA-4-200
- Registry model: [Lake LA-4-200](https://openairdocs.org/model/lake-la-4-200) (registry code 5110310) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 560
- Year built: 1973
- Airframe hours: 3028
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, May 15, 2025, 35 hours before
- Departed: BVS, Burlington, WA

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observed at: NUW, 6.5 nm away
- METAR: 3:53 PM	47 °F	40 °F	77 %	NNW	7 mph	0 mph	30.36 in	0.0 in	Fair

## 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 20260116000709A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260116000709A), Jan 16, 2026: Lake LA-4-200, Anacortes, WA, Substantial damage. Pilot was conducting flight training with the second pilot. After pattern work at skagit airport, the aircraft headed to Campbell Lake for water landing…

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.

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