Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Phippsburg, Maine 04530
Sunday, August 17, 2003 12:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot overflew the pond prior to landing, and did not observe any boat traffic, or debris on the water. He performed one touch-and-go landing, and returned for a second landing. The touchdown was "normal," and during the landing rollout the airplane started to come off the step and began to turn to the left, "like it had hooked something." The pilot taxied to the shore and docked the airplane, at which time he realized he "must have hit something on the bottom of the pond," since there was mud in the lower nose gear doors.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The airplane's collision with a submerged object during a water landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/17/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Phippsburg
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04530
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 435320N
Event Location Longitude 0695610W
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1055 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID NHZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 75
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.88
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15385
NTSB Notification Source Portland FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Aug 18 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1415
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 FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8550U
NTSB Number NYC03LA178
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 Aerofab Inc.
Aircraft Model LAKE 250
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 122
Certified Max Gross Weight 3110
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 4 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 59
Airframe Hours 675
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Peter Thompson
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City New Hampton
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03256
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 Phippsburg
Departure State ME
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City Phippsburg
Destination State ME
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 Mar 15 2004 11:08AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --