Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grafton, West Virginia
Sunday, August 16, 1987 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PLT DURING THE WATER LANDING THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED THE WAKE OF A BOAT THAT HAD CROSSED THE PATH OF THE ACFT. AS A RESULT THE ACFT BOUNCED ABOUT 20 FT HIGH. THE PLT APPLIED FULL POWER TO RECOVER; HOWEVER, THE ACFT IMPACTED THE WATER. HE STARTED A GO-AROUND WHEN HE REALIZED THAT THE ACFT WAS APPROACHING THE SHORELINE AND THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT LANDING DISTANCE REMAINING ON THE LAKE. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO ACHIEVE A POSITIVE CLIMB BEFORE THE ACFT IMPACTED TREES AND DESCENDED TO THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/16/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GRAFTON
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1987
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1455 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MGW
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
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 5000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1099
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 16 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1635
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34291
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N59FC
NTSB Number BFO87LA059
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 997
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Aug 19 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 189
Airframe Hours 776
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCOTT I SILVERMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1046 WEST SIDE DR.
Aircraft Owner City GAITHERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20878
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 4G7
Departure City FAIRMONT
Departure State WV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --