Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dayton, Tennessee 37343
Thursday, August 26, 2004 20:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the certified flight instructor, while practicing a series of glassy water landings. On the eight landing while on step the airplane pitched down violently and the airplane flipped over nose first, and came to rest inverted. According to the second pilot, after touchdown on the river, while on the step traveling at approximately 40 mph the nose of the airplane "jerked downward". The airplane then violently pitched down under the water, and the cockpit filled with water. No flight control or mechanical problems were reported by the pilot's prior to the accident. Examination of the airplane revealed that the hull of the airplane was delaminated. The nose of the airplane separated from the airframe assembly.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The delamination of the fiberglass hull of the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/26/2004
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2000
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Dayton
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37343
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 354915N
Event Location Longitude 0843211W
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID KTYS
Elevation of weather observation facility 750
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.11
Density Altitude (feet) 2056
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) 17882
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communication Center
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 7 2005 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Nashville FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1209J
NTSB Number ATL04LA171
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 Hawkins William
Aircraft Model Searey
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1MK127
Certified Max Gross Weight 1350
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 7 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 143
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Mark E. Kenyan
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2727 Thicket road
Aircraft Owner City Soddy Daisy
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37379
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Dayton
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Dayton
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 3 2005 2:04PM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --