Gilbert Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Winter Haven, Florida 33881
Sunday, August 29, 1999 10:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight had landed on the lake after the pilots had been practicing landings and takeoffs. While attempting a water take off in a left step turn the bow was allowed to get too low causing the right front portion of the hull to dig in and spin the aircraft about 180 degrees. The flight instructor stated, '...I took control of the aircraft when the student did not correct the pitch attitude, but a split second too late.' The pilot receiving instruction stated, '...while completing a step turn taxi maneuver to the left apparently I allowed the bow to become too low swinging the aircraft 180 degrees to the right causing damage....'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot-in command/flight instructor allowed the student pilot to get the nose of the airplane too low in the water causing a loss of directional control and a subsequent impact of the right wing in the water.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/29/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WINTER HAVEN
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33881
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport GILBERT FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GIF
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 950 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 55
Weather Observation Facility ID MCO
Elevation of weather observation facility 96
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 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) 1293
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1845
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:08AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8002H
NTSB Number MIA99LA241
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 1000
Certified Max Gross Weight 2600
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 97
Airframe Hours 789
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES J. STARLING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 428 QUAIL HOLLOW
Aircraft Owner City AUBURNDALE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33823
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JACK BROWNS SEPLANE BASE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City WINTER HAVEN
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33881
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 4 2001 7:08AM
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 --