Lake LA-4-200 N142JM

Summary

On 13 June 1999 at about 22:30 local time, a Lake LA-4-200 registered N142JM, operated by Gregory A. Crawford, was involved in an accident near Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 June 1999 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Charlotte, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.2305, -80.9093

Aircraft

Lake LA-4-200

Registration

N142JM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Gregory A. Crawford

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA99LA178

Nobody was injured.

The pilot misjudged the flare during the landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While taking off from a lake, the airplane struck a large wave (wake), was catapulted into the air, and then settled back to the water. At this point the airplane was again catapulted into the air by a second wave. The pilot aborted the takeoff, and 'intended to tail land' into the water. The tail of the airplane struck the water and the nose dropped through level flight, struck the water in a nose down attitude, and came to a stop. The pilot said he remembered hearing the engine still running so he reached up and moved the mixture to idle cutoff. Boaters helped the pilot attempt to tow the airplane to shore. About 25 yards from shore the airplane nosed over and the tail stood straight up. The airplane continued to go nose down in the water and sank upside down.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.