Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palm Harbor, Florida 34689
Wednesday, June 13, 2007 16:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated he was conducting a visual approach to a lake for landing. He was about 20 feet above the water when the right wing went up and the left wing went down. The pilot stated he lost directional control of the airplane and the left wing collided with the water separating the outboard leading edge of the left wing. The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the experimental amphibian airplane before the accident. The pilot stated he received 22 hours of instruction towards a seaplane rating, however he did not take the FAA check ride and does not hold a seaplane rating. In addition the pilot stated he has 6 total flight hours in the accident airplane. Review of the Saint Petersburg/ Clearwater International Airport, Saint Petersburg, Florida,1553 surface weather observation located 5 miles south of the airport revealed the winds were 330 degrees at 10 knots and no wind gusts were reported.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during approach to land on a lake resulting in an inflight collision with water. A factor was the pilot's lack of qualification and total experience in the accident airplane make and model.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/13/2007
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Palm Harbor
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34689
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 280804N
Event Location Longitude 0824429W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID KPIE
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
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) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.83
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21929
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communication Center
NTSB Notification Date Jun 13 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 25 2007 12:22PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Orlando FSDO-15

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N771AT
NTSB Number ATL07CA090
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 Rosenbaum
Aircraft Model Super Petrel
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 0163
Certified Max Gross Weight 1300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 6
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Allan D Rosenbaum
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1137 Bass Blvd
Aircraft Owner City Dundin
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34698
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Palm Harbor
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 17 2007 12:55PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --