Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Saipan
Sunday, May 21, 1995 11:30

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE CRASHED AT SEA UNDER UNDETERMINED CIRCUMSTANCES ABOUT 35 MILES NORTH OF SAIPAN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND SANK. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT AT 0720 ON A FLIGHT TO AN UNINHABITED ISLAND 180 NAUTICAL MILES NORTH OF SAIPAN. AFTER DEPARTURE THERE WERE NO FURTHER RADIO COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE FLIGHT AND ANY FAA FACILITY, AND THERE WERE NO DISTRESS CALLS. BOTH OF THE PASSENGERS MADE CELLULAR PHONE CALLS TO THEIR FAMILIES AT 1100 AND 1130. THE PASSENGERS SAID THEY WERE 45 MILES FROM SAIPAN AND RETURNING BECAUSE OF BAD WEATHER AT PAGAN. THE PILOT WAS HIRED BY THE OWNER AS BOTH PILOT AND A MECHANIC FOR THE AIRCRAFT. NO RECORD WAS FOUND THAT THE PILOT HAD EVER BEEN ISSUED A SEAPLANE RATING FOR ANY AIRCRAFT CLASS OR OBTAINED SEAPLANE TRAINING AT ANY KNOWN FACILITY IN THE MARIANAS. WITNESSES SAID THE PILOT REPORTED A HISTORY OF FUEL PUMP AND GENERATOR PROBLEMS ON THE AIRCRAFT AND THAT THE PILOT CHANGED FUEL PUMPS BEFORE THE FLIGHT. THE RIGHT GENERATOR WAS INOPERATIVE FOR THE FLIGHT. NO AIRCRAFT OR SURFACE VESSEL ENGAGED IN THE SEARCH FOR THE AIRCRAFT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING ANY UNUSUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an inflight collision with the ocean for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone --
Event City SAIPAN
Event State --
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96950
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1154
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 145
Weather Observation Facility ID PGS
Elevation of weather observation facility 215
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 30000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 830
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 22 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1451
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N108CA
NTSB Number LAX95LA190
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name STOL
Aircraft Model UC-1
Aircraft Series Identifier UC-1
Aircraft Serial Number 014
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 2210
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEISURE TIME INVESTMENTS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2ND FLOOR NAURU BUILDING
Aircraft Owner City SAIPAN
Aircraft Owner State MP
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96950
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PGSN
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 720
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TT01
Destination City PAGAN
Destination State MP
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --