Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Springville, Tennessee 38221
Monday, September 20, 2010 10:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The purpose of the flight was for the flight instructor to give instruction to the pilot and endorse him for a light sport aircraft sea rating. The flight instructor reported that during the initial landing on a lake, as the water line moved about three-quarters of the way up the floats, the airplane suddenly pitched over and became inverted. The pilot receiving instruction believed the airplane struck an object during landing. A post-accident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the right float sustained substantial damage consistent with contact with an object and that no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies were found. The object struck by the seaplane could not be identified.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Collision with an unknown object during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/20/2010
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Springville
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38221
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 362000N
Event Location Longitude 0880900W
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 952 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID CKV
Elevation of weather observation facility 550
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 38
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
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) 30.09
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) 28493
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 9 2011 2:41PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N63XT
NTSB Number ERA10CA495
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 Skykits Corporation
Aircraft Model Savannah
Aircraft Series Identifier VG
Aircraft Serial Number 06-11-51-551
Certified Max Gross Weight 1320
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Skykits Corp
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1401 Diggs Rd
Aircraft Owner City Paris
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38242
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Skykits Corp
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1401 Diggs Rd
Operator City Paris
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 38242
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PHT
Departure City Henry County
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code N/A
Destination City Springville
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 9 2011 2:41PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --