Lake 4-200 N3027P
7 May 1996 · Melbourne, Florida, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 7 May 1996 at about 20:50 local time, a Lake 4-200 registered N3027P was involved in an accident near Melbourne, Florida, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:50
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Melbourne, Florida, United States
- Nearest airport
- Lake Washington (28)
- Coordinates
- 28.0791, -80.6009
- Aircraft
- Lake 4-200
- Registration
- N3027P
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL96FA084
People
3 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees while maneuvering. A factor was the tailwind condition.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The operator stated that the training flight departed the airport enroute to a nearby lake. The purpose of the flight was for the dual student to complete three takeoffs and three landings in accordance with Part 61.57. Approximately 20 minutes into the flight, the airplane collided with trees on the western shore of the lake. According to the operator, the collision occurred in the vicinity of the 6,000 foot long landing and takeoff lanes used by seaplanes at the lake. There were no eyewitnesses to the accident. The aircraft wreckage was located at 1755 by another pilot flying near the accident site. Examination of the accident site disclosed that the airplane was 75 yards west of the tree line, and wreckage debris was scattered over an area 225 feet long and 75 feet wide. A 44 inch section of the outboard left wing panel, with the tip, was located in the immediate vicinity of the freshly broken trees. The examination of the airframe and engine assemblies failed to disclose a mechanical problem. The prevailing winds were out of the east at 15 knots; the wreckage path was orientated on a 300 degree magnetic heading.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Lake 4 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Mar 1981 | Lake 4-200 | Ponce, Puerto Rico, United States | Fleming Enterp | No injuries | - |
| 6 Jul 1980 | Lake 4-200 | Byron Center, Michigan, United States | Fidelity AVN | Minor injuries | - |
| 22 Apr 1980 | Lake 4-200 | Laconia, New Hampshire, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 9 Sep 1980 | Lake 4-200 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jan 1980 | Lake 4-200 | Tomball, Texas, United States | SW Lake Acft D | No injuries | - |
| 24 Aug 1980 | Lake 4-200 | Hewitt Lake, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 Mar 1996 | Cessna 150M | Ormond Beach, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Mar 1996 | Cessna 152 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Mar 1996 | Robinson R-22-BETA | Bunnell, Florida, United States | International Helicopter Acad. | No injuries | - |
| 24 Mar 1996 | Cessna 150F | Ocala, Florida, United States | TOM McGhee Aircraft | No injuries | - |
| 22 Mar 1996 | Cessna 172N | New Smyrna Bch, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 1996 | Enstrom F-28C | Defuniak Spring, Florida, United States | Robert D. Duda | Minor injuries | - |