Laconia Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gilford, New Hampshire 03249
Wednesday, September 25, 2002 11:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The Piper PA-30, Twin Comanche departed on a local multi-engine training flight. A few minutes later, it impacted water. Several witnesses observed the airplane and reported different airplane actions prior to impact. Examination of the airplane revealed that when it contacted the water, it was in a near flat attitude, rotating nose left, with the right wing lower than the left wing. Metal distortion was found on the tip tanks and outboard sections of both wings that was consistent with the left wing moving rearward, and the right wing moving forward, at the time of impact. The tip weight on the rudder was bent over to the right. Both engine mounts were deformed to the right. Damage to both propellers was consistent with the propellers in the governing range, at or near the same power setting, and not feathered. There was no evidence of a pre-existing failure or malfunction with the airplane or engines.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor's failure to maintain airplane control, which resulted in an uncontrolled collision with water.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/25/2002
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1125
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Gilford
Event State NEW HAMPSHIRE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 03249
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 433753N
Event Location Longitude 0712138W
Event Location Airport Laconia Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LCI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 4.8
Degrees magnetic from airport 50
Airport Elevation 545
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1135 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID LCI
Elevation of weather observation facility 545
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
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) 30.39
Density Altitude (feet) 714
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15364
NTSB Notification Source NROC
NTSB Notification Date Sep 25 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 28 2004 3:34PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Portland, Maine

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7106Y
NTSB Number NYC02FA196
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-30
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 30-124
Certified Max Gross Weight 3725
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 29 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 904
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name N7106Y Ltd
Aircraft Owner Street Address CO A Wyllie RFD 1
Aircraft Owner City Campton
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03223
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Alan Emerson Aviation Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address Laconia Municipal Airport
Operator City Gilford
Operator State NH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 03246
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LCI
Departure City Laconia
Departure State NH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LCI
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 29 2004 2:06PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --