Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake City, Michigan 49651
Saturday, May 5, 2001 18:32 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane nosed over during the water landing with the wheel extended. The pilot reported that after takeoff from the lake, he was unable to lower the landing gear in preparation for a hard surface landing. He returned to the lake where he recylced the gear and performed emergency procedures to verify the gear was retracted. The pilot reported that he thought the gear was retracted prior to touchdown. He reported that as he slowed the airplane, the force of the water pulled the landing gear down and the airplane nosed over. Inspection of the airplane after the accident revealed that the hydraulic line to the left gear had separated porting the hydraulic fluid. It was determined that the hydraulic line was not properly flared at the fitting.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the improper installation of the left landing gear hydraulic line which allowed it to separate and port the hydraulic fluid. This resulted in the landing gear extending during a water landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/5/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1832
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Lake City
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49651
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1735 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID CAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 1307
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.23
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11011
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 10 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1922
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 27 2001 11:26AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Grand Rapids, MI FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N744LS
NTSB Number CHI01LA132
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Maule
Aircraft Model M-7-235B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 23010C
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 8 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert A. Anton
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5392 Pleasant Hill Drive
Aircraft Owner City Fenton
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48430
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 No
Departure Airport Code CAD
Departure City Cadillac
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1645
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Lake City
Destination State MI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 1 2001 8:48AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --