Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Chapin, South Carolina 29036
Tuesady, April 29, 2014 18:40 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot of the amphibian airplane stated that the airplane was properly configured for landing on a lake, with the landing gear retracted and the flaps extended. The approach was normal; however, the pilot heard a loud bang immediately after touchdown and felt a lateral force in the cockpit. He then observed that the right wing pontoon had separated and he exited the cockpit before the airplane sank. Two witnesses were in a nearby boat and rescued the pilot. The witnesses reported that the pilot commented about the accident landing. He stated that it was only his fourth landing on the water and that the water was calm, which can affect depth perception. The witnesses added that the right wing pontoon contacted the water first, which spun the airplane. The airplane sank in an area of the lake that was approximately 120 feet deep. As of 60 days after the accident, the wreckage had not been located and recovered. The right pontoon was recovered. The pilot possessed a single-engine sea rating and reported 21 hours in the make and model airplane. He also reported 4,360 total hours of flight experience.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in abnormal contact with the water and separation of the right pontoon..
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/29/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1840 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Chapin |
| Event State | SOUTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 29036 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 340355N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0812138W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| 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 | 1856 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 107 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CAE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 236 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 19 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 15000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 20 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| 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) | 29.88 |
| 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) | 33022 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Columbia FAA FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 12 2014 4:31PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1029L |
| NTSB Number | ERA14CA225 |
| 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 | LAKE |
| Aircraft Model | LA-4 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 272 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 1 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2809 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Jay E Seward II |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Chapin |
| Aircraft Owner State | SC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 29036 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Jay E Seward II |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Chapin |
| Operator State | SC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 29036 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | FDW |
| Departure City | Winnsboro |
| Departure State | SC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1810 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Chapin |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 12 2014 4:31PM |
| 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 | -- |