Waycross Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Waycross, Georgia 31501
Wednesday, April 3, 1991 10:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS PREPARING TO LAND THE HOMEBUILT, AMPHIBIOUS AIRPLANE. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR EXTENDED; HOWEVER, THE NOSE GEAR REMAINED UP. AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO RAISE THE MAIN GEAR. THE PILOT THEN ELECTED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE ON THE GRASS SURFACE ADJACENT TO THE PAVED RUNWAY. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE FRONT FLOAT PODS DUG INTO THE SOFT SOIL, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE BATTERY HAD FAILED, AND BATTERY POWER IS REQUIRED TO RAISE AND LOWER THE LANDING GEAR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANE BATTERY, WHICH PROHIBITED THE COMPLETE EXTENSION OF THE LANDING GEAR, RESULTING IN A LANDING WITH THE NOSE GEAR RETRACTED. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SOFT TERRAIN AT THE SELECTED LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/1991
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WAYCROSS
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31501
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WAYCROSS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AYS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 142
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1481
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44272
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:42AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N71427
NTSB Number ATL91LA076
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DAVID LOWE
Aircraft Model ULTRA-PUP
Aircraft Series Identifier ULTRA-PUP
Aircraft Serial Number OO5L-25
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 23 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 87
Airframe Hours 87
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MOSLER MOTORS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 140 ASHWOOD DRIVER
Aircraft Owner City HENDERSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28793
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MOSLER MOTORS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 140 ASHWOOD DRIVER
Operator City HENDERSONVILLE
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28793
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 No
Departure Airport Code DNL
Departure City AUGUSTA
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --