Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blaine, Washington 98230
Saturday, September 4, 2004 19:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

As the private pilot-rated student was climbing through 400 feet above the water in the float-equipped airplane, the instructor pilot pulled the power to idle and instructed the student to execute a simulated engine-out forced landing on the waters of a bay. The student then established the aircraft in a controlled slip in order to descend to the point at which he wanted to touch down. When the aircraft was about 50 feet above the water, and still in a slip, the instructor, who had just warned the student to watch the airspeed, thought that the aircraft was about to enter a stall. In order to keep the aircraft from entering the stall, the instructor added full power and pushed forward on the control stick. The aircraft then pitched down and impacted the surface of the water in a 30 to 40 degree nose-down attitude. It was the opinion of the student that the aircraft was not about to enter a stall, but that the instructor pilot misinterpreted some light turbulence, and the wing-low attitude created by the slip, as the beginning of a stall.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The instructor pilot's inadequate remedial action during his student's final approach for a simulated engine out water landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/4/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1920
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Blaine
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98230
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 485820N
Event Location Longitude 1224455W
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17238
NTSB Notification Source Seattle FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Sep 7 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 27 2005 3:52PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Seattle FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2415P
NTSB Number SEA04LA183
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 Piper
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-4290
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Tyler R. Glahn
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Portland
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97233
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Guy R and Tyler R Glahn
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Blaine
Operator State WA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 98230
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Blaine
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1920
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Blaine
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
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 --