Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Needles, California 92363
Saturday, November 24, 2012 8:20 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor was providing instruction to the airline transport pilot in a float-equipped airplane. During the flight instructor’s demonstration of a water landing, the airplane was misaligned with the intended landing path when it impacted the water’s surface. A postaccident examination revealed that the airframe was substantially damaged during the resultant hard landing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor, while demonstrating a water landing to the pilot receiving instruction, did not maintain proper alignment with the landing surface, which resulted in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/24/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 820
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Needles
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92363
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 382806N
Event Location Longitude 1142410W
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 856 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 145
Weather Observation Facility ID KEED
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.17
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) 30983
NTSB Notification Source LAX Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 14 2012 6:16PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2224
NTSB Number WPR13CA055
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA18
Aircraft Series Identifier A150
Aircraft Serial Number 18-8651
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 24 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 57
Airframe Hours 5540
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Sheble Aviation and Flight School
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Fort Mohave
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86426
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Sheble Aviation and Flight School
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Fort Mohave
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 86246
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 --
Departure City Bullhead City
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 745
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Bullhead City
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 14 2012 6:17PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --