Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Foxboro, Massachusetts 02035
Tuesady, August 13, 2002 10:52 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was attempting to land the floatplane on a lake. About 1 foot above the water, a light gust of wind lifted the left wing. The pilot did not correct for the wind, and the right float contacted the water. The floatplane subsequently flipped over and sank. The reported wind speed, at an airport approximately 10 miles away, was 4 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing flare.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/2002
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1052
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Foxboro
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02035
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 420126N
Event Location Longitude 0711718W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID OWD
Elevation of weather observation facility 50
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13014
NTSB Notification Source Bedford FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Aug 14 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 17 2003 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Bedford, MA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7072X
NTSB Number NYC02LA163
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 Niemann
Aircraft Model Champion II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number CH-2-0592-B-0849
Certified Max Gross Weight 800
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 15 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 128
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name John M. Arsenaut
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Foxboro
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02035
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 NONE
Departure City Middleboro
Departure State MA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City Foxboro
Destination State MA
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 Jan 21 2003 11:07AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
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 --