Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Apopka, Florida 32712
Wednesday, December 17, 2008 11:00 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot had completed two water landings to a lake and was climbing the airplane for a third when, about 200 feet above the water, he reduced power to simulate a "power out or reduced power landing." As the pilot "attempted to round out the glide for the landing," he could not arrest the descent and the airplane landed hard. The pilot took off again, then made a precautionary water landing to a full stop. The airplane and engine appeared to be undamaged, so the pilot took off again and made two touch-and-go landings to another lake, followed by a full stop landing. At that point the engine sounded "rough," so the pilot taxied to shore where he discovered that a propeller blade tip was missing, that a propeller strike had occurred to the turtle top, and that the hull was taking on water. Mechanics later changed the propeller, and the airplane was deemed airworthy to fly to another location for further inspection. A few days later, structural damage was found to cross-frames in the hull. Weather at a nearby airport, about the time of the hard landing, included clear skies and calm winds.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper flare.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/17/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1100 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Apopka |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32712 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 283642N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0813549W |
| 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 | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Unknown |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 140 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ORL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 18 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| 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) | 25326 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Pilot |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 13 2009 11:15AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N85213 |
| NTSB Number | ERA09CA121 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Unknown |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | LAKE |
| Aircraft Model | LA-4-200 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1094 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 3 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 16 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3686 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | LATITUDE 2855 LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | WINTER PARK |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32789-4453 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Harry Lawrence |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | WINTER PARK |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 32789-4453 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | ORL |
| Departure City | Orlando |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1045 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Apopka |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 16 2009 12:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |