Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Michaels, Maryland 23456
Tuesady, November 8, 1983 16:40 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE AFTERNOON, THE PLT FLEW TO THE MILES RIVER IN MARYLAND WHERE HE MADE A WATER LANDING TO PICK UP A PASSENGER. WHEN HE LANDED, THE WATER SURFACE HAD RIPPLES WHICH HAD BEEN PRODUCED BY A LIGHT BREEZE. AT THAT TIME, THE PLT HAD NO TROUBLE SEEING THE SURFACE OF THE WATER. THE PLT THEN TOOK OFF WITH THE PASSENGER ON BOARD. LATER, WHEN THEY RETURNED TO LAND, THE WATER WAS GLASSY. THE PLT STATED THAT DURING THE LANDING, HE THOUGHT HIS APPROACH WAS PERFECT. HE STATED HE THOUGHT THAT HE WAS APRX 5 TO 6 FT ABOVE THE WATER & WAS JUST BEGINING TO FLARE WHEN THE ANPHIBIAN ACFT CRASHED. HE WAS THROWN FROM THE ACFT & REMEMBERED SWIMMING BACK. APRX 4 MIN AFTER THE ACCIDENT, BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE PULLED FROM THE WATER, BUT THE PASSENGER, WHO HAD WENT THRU THE WINDSHIELD, DIED LATER. NO SHOULDER HARNESS WAS INSTALLED. THE WATER VISIBILITY AT THE SITE WAS CLEAR. WHEN THE INVESTIGATOR LANDED ON GLASSY WATER THERE ON THE NEXT DAY, THERE WAS NO VISIBLE SURFACE, ALL HE COULD SEE WAS WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE RIVER BOTTOM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/8/1983
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1640
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ST. MICHAELS
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23456
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 11
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2054 G
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID SBY
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation G
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1522
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21857
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5022L
NTSB Number ATL84FIG01
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 479
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 Mar 10 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 111
Airframe Hours 755
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM E. CRANE
Aircraft Owner Street Address FERRY NECK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ROYAL OAK
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21662
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 ESN
Departure City EASTON
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 10:31AM
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 --