Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pensacola, Florida 32508
Saturday, August 4, 2001 15:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated they landed on Perdido and to perform water maneuvers. During the first water maneuver the airplane developed a tendency to turn to the right as it gained speed. On the second maneuver, at 20 to 25 knots, the airplane again started turning to the right. He reduced engine power to investigate what was wrong, and when he did the right wing went further into the water and the airplane turned over inverted. The left wing went into the water and contacted the bottom of the bay. Their intentions, had the accident not occurred, was to take off after high speed taxiing and return to Coastal Airport. Postcrash examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector showed the right float was damaged during the accident and it could not be determined what was causing the airplane to turn right during water operations..

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The dragging of the right wing during water operations for undetermined reasons resulting in the airplane flipping inverted.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Pensacola
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32508
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 302210N
Event Location Longitude 0872612W
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 1553 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID PNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 121
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
Density Altitude (feet) 2100
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10958
NTSB Notification Source Pilot
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 6 2001 9:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Birmingham

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N112MD
NTSB Number MIA01LA208
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 Morton S. Dismuke
Aircraft Model Spencer Amphib 1-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 201
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Sep 5 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31
Airframe Hours 824
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Antony E. Fiorentino
Aircraft Owner Street Address 105 S. Navy Blvd.
Aircraft Owner City Pensacola
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32507
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 83J
Departure City Pensacola
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
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 Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Oct 19 2001 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record PREJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --