| Date: | Saturday 3 August 2024 |
| Time: | 13:04 |
| Type: | Aviat A-1C-180 Husky |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N177DB |
| MSN: | 3019 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2008 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Lake Wawasee, near South Park, IN -
United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Angola-Tri-State Steuben County Airport, IN (ANQ/KANQ) |
| Destination airport: | Lake Wawasee, IN (K01D) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Narrative:The pilot was performing a takeoff in an amphibious, float-equipped airplane. During the takeoff the pilot lost control, the airplane pitched forward, the floats dug into the water, and the airplane became airborne. The airplane rolled to the left, the left wing tip struck the water and subsequently nosed over. During the accident sequence the right wing, right aileron, and left wing strut were substantially damaged.
When asked by the responding officer what he thought the cause of the accident was, he stated that it was a result of being a little high and slow on his approach, and the airplane hit the water hard, causing damage to the plane.
The pilot later reported that there was a mechanical failure of the left float which was the result of a hard landing on asphalt five weeks before the accident. The pilot did not have any documentation of damage from the hard landing. He later stated that the takeoff did not feel right and that the entire flight he had to correct for the left wing dropping.
The pilot stated to the responding officer that he did not examine all the components of the airplane before taking off. After reviewing video footage of the accident, it is unlikely that there were any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff.
Accident investigation:
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| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Report number: | CEN24LA300 |
| Status: | Investigation completed |
| Duration: | 3 months |
| Download report: | Final report
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Sources:
https://www.inkfreenews.com/2024/08/03/760815/ https://www.21alivenews.com/2024/08/03/no-injuries-reported-following-plane-crash-into-lake-wawasee-saturday/ https://wsbt.com/news/local/faa-investigating-after-plane-flips-on-lake-wawasee https://www.wane.com/top-stories/look-plane-crash-in-lake-wawasee/ https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=194843 https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=177DB https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/kpcnews.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/f9/cf9909bc-ca87-501d-bfab-63822a6c2187/650c8b6e55f61.image.jpg?resize=750%2C730 (photo)
Location
Images:

Photo: FAA
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
| 04-Aug-2024 00:49 |
Geno |
Added |
| 04-Aug-2024 02:59 |
RobertMB |
Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative, Category, ] |
| 20-Aug-2024 18:30 |
Captain Adam |
Updated [Time, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 19-Nov-2024 20:23 |
Captain Adam |
Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Source, Narrative, Photo, ] |
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