Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Lake Gardner Seaplane Base Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Sharon, Massachusetts 02067
Friday, May 7, 2004 14:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot/mechanic purchased the floatplane about 7 months prior to the accident, and performed his own maintenance. When the airplane was de-fueled and lifted by crane onto the bay, the weight was calculated as 5,790 lbs. The certificated maximum gross takeoff weight of the airplane was 5,700 lbs. On the day prior to the accident, during high-speed taxis, the left engine only developed partial power. The pilot had the spark plugs cleaned and gapped. That evening, he was able to complete a short flight, in ground effect over the water. On the day of the accident, the airplane completed two high-speed taxis or attempted takeoffs, but did not become airborne. On the third attempt, the airplane traveled 3,000 to 4,000 feet on the water, before becoming airborne, and barely cleared a 20-foot-tall building by about 10 feet. Subsequently, witnesses near the accident site heard banging, sputtering, engine misfires, and popping, before the airplane struck trees near a lake. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left propeller was in the feather position, and the right propeller blades were bent aft, with little to no rotational damage noted. However, the left mixture, propeller control, and throttle control were in the full forward position. The right throttle control was about 3/4 closed, the right propeller control was in the feather position, and the right mixture was full forward. Further inspection revealed that both fuel tanks contained adequate fuel. The aircraft logbooks were not recovered, and the date of the last annual inspection was unknown. Prior to having the airplane lifted onto the bay, the date of the last successful flight was also unknown.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of power in one engine for undetermined reasons. Factors were the excessive weight, and degraded climb performance.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/7/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1400 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Sharon |
| Event State | MASSACHUSETTS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 02067 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 420621N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0711030W |
| Event Location Airport | Lake Gardner Seaplane Base |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 6MA0 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 50 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 180 |
| Airport Elevation | 87 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 40 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OWD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 49 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 7 |
| 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) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 20 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.87 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17048 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NERCC |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 7 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1420 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 28 2004 12:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Boston, MA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N45P |
| NTSB Number | NYC04LA118 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | T-50 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 6294 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5700 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Daren Banfield |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Brookline |
| Aircraft Owner State | NH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 03033 |
| 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 | South Dartmouth |
| Departure State | MA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1300 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 6MA0 |
| Destination City | Amesbury |
| Destination State | MA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 8 2004 10:32AM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |