Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Racine, Wisconsin 53126
Saturday, July 4, 2009 13:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot initially reported that while landing the amphibious airplane on a lake, the left sponson struck a submerged object and separated from the airplane causing substantial damage. A subsequent examination of the airplane showed no evidence that the sponson had impacted anything. No preexisting anomalies were found with respect to the airplane, sponson, or sponson attachment. The pilot did not respond to repeated requests for information from the NTSB.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper landing flare that resulted in a hard landing and subsequent separation of the airplane's sponson.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Racine
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53126
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 424341N
Event Location Longitude 0874825W
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID RAC
Elevation of weather observation facility 674
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
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) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KRAC 040053Z AUTO 15006KT 10SM CLR 19/13 A30
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27026
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 31 2010 9:41AM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N56LA
NTSB Number CEN09LA424
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 CONSOLIDATED AERONAUTICS INC.
Aircraft Model LAKE LA-4-200
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 973
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
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 Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AC OPERATIONS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address S4W28701 NORMS RD
Aircraft Owner City WAUKESHA
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53188-9422
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Christopher D. Stone
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Kenosha
Operator State WI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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 --
Departure City Unknown
Departure State --
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Racine
Destination State WI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 27 2010 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record brajo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --