Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charlotte, North Carolina 28208
Sunday, June 13, 1999 18:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While taking off from a lake, the airplane struck a large wave (wake), was catapulted into the air, and then settled back to the water. At this point the airplane was again catapulted into the air by a second wave. The pilot aborted the takeoff, and 'intended to tail land' into the water. The tail of the airplane struck the water and the nose dropped through level flight, struck the water in a nose down attitude, and came to a stop. The pilot said he remembered hearing the engine still running so he reached up and moved the mixture to idle cutoff. Boaters helped the pilot attempt to tow the airplane to shore. About 25 yards from shore the airplane nosed over and the tail stood straight up. The airplane continued to go nose down in the water and sank upside down.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot misjudged the flare during the landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/13/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHARLOTTE
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28208
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 6
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 1754 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CLT
Elevation of weather observation facility 749
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2357
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 900
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 13 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1945
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N142JM
NTSB Number MIA99LA178
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Lake
Aircraft Model LA-4-200
Aircraft Series Identifier LA-4-200
Aircraft Serial Number 1009
Certified Max Gross Weight 2690
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 1530
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MACGUIRE AND CRAWFORD INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 723 S. SHARON AMITY RD. SUITE
Aircraft Owner City CHARLOTTE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28211
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GREGORY A. CRAWFORD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2521 MOUNTAIN FOLK LN.
Operator City WAHAW
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 28173
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 --