Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fox Lake, Illinois 60020
Wednesday, August 31, 1988 19:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD JUST COMPLETED A COURSE AT THE LAKE ACFT FACTORY SCHOOL, BUT HAD NOT YET OBTAINED A SEAPLANE RATING. AFTER HE FLEW HOME, HE LANDED ON LOCAL LAKES. HE REPORTED THAT DRG A LANDING ON CALM WATER, HE EXPECTED TO HEAR A 'SLUSH SOUND' AS THE HULL TOUCHED THE WATER, BUT INSTEAD, THERE WAS A 'LOUD NOISE AS THE ACFT DECELERATED RAPIDLY & WATER CAME THRU THE FLOOR. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AMPHIBIOUS ACFT NOSED OVER & CAME TO REST WITH THE BOTTOM MISSING FROM THE COCKPIT TO THE TAIL SECTION. THE PLT INDCD THAT DRG A LANDING IN SHALLOW WATER ' . . . THE AIRCRAFT IMBEDDED ITSELF ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE IN MUD.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/31/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City FOX LAKE
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60020
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1948 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 185
Weather Observation Facility ID DPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 758
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
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) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1712
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 31 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2010
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37891
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8012A
NTSB Number CHI88LA228
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LAKE
Aircraft Model LA-4-200
Aircraft Series Identifier LA-4-200
Aircraft Serial Number 1065
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 Jul 8 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 659
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SALATA, JOHN L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4190 GRAND AVE.
Aircraft Owner City GURNEE
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60031
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1920
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --