Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Wingfield Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Dameron, Maryland 20628
Friday, April 7, 2000 11:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During an evaluation flight for a seaplane rating, the pilot-applicant approached the water for landing. The seaplane landed on calm water, left float first. The seaplane continued a short distance on the surface before the floats separated, and the airplane contacted the water. The EDO model 01320 floats were manufactured April 24, 1946. Examination of the maintenance records revealed that the airplane was stored for 10 years, with the floats and the wings removed. The owner stated that he did not disassemble the spreader bars from the floats for inspection, prior to reassembly of the airplane. Examination of the wreckage revealed the left aft spreader bar mount was attached to the left float. The upper and lower spreader bar mount straps were intact, with three spreader bar strap bolts inside. However, no portion of the spreader bar remained between the straps. Examination of the spreader bar mount bolts revealed heavy corrosion. No scraping, scoring, scratching, or sanding of the bolt surfaces were noted. All three bolts revealed a slight bend, with the bolt heads deflected inboard. Examination of the components revealed modifications not depicted in the manufacturer's parts diagram, and several repairs. The aft right lower spreader strap had a repair weld, and was broken in the area of the weld.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the float landing gear system due to non-standard repairs, improper modifications, and corrosion.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/7/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1145 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | DAMERON |
| Event State | MARYLAND |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 20628 |
| Event Date Year | 2000 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | WINGFIELD AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MD01 |
| 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 | 0 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1055 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 355 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | NHK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 40 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 20000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| 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) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 140 |
| 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) | 11192 |
| NTSB Notification Source | AAI-100 |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 7 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1205 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 18 2001 1:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N43459 |
| NTSB Number | IAD00FA034 |
| 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 | Taylorcraft |
| Aircraft Model | BC12D-4-85 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | BC12D-4-85 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 7118 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1351 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 1 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 55 |
| Airframe Hours | 1395 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | STANLEY J. SWEIKAR |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 9 |
| Aircraft Owner City | DAMERON |
| Aircraft Owner State | MD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 20628 |
| 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) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MD01 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1125 |
| 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 | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 20 2001 4:06AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 19 |
| Runway Length | 4200 |
| Runway Width | 500 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |