Pilot Debrief

GRUMMAN G-44 near Catskill, NY — 2013-05-02

Final reportERA13FA225
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Date
2013-05-02
Location
Catskill, NY, USA
Aircraft
GRUMMAN G-44
Registration
N8AS
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Landing

Probable cause

The pilot’s misjudgment of the airplane’s altitude above the water and early flare for a landing on water with a glassy condition, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB narrative

Witnesses reported observing the twin-engine amphibious airplane flying southbound low above a river and hearing the engine running. The airplane then made a 180-degree left turn, which was consistent with the pilot flying a tight traffic pattern before attempting a water landing. The airplane then descended, leveled off above the water, and suddenly banked left. The airplane's nose and left pontoon then struck the water, and the airplane nosed over, caught fire, and sank. Postrecovery examination of the wreckage revealed that the landing gear was in the "up" position and that the flaps were extended, which indicates that the airplane had been configured for a water landing. No evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions of the airplane or engines was found that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident, a light breeze was blowing, the river was at slack tide, and the water conditions were calm, all of which were conducive to glassy water conditions. It is likely that the glassy water conditions adversely affected the pilot's depth perception and led to his inability to correctly judge the airplane's height above the water. He subsequently flared the airplane too high, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack, entering an aerodynamic stall, and impacting the water in a nose-low attitude.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen to land near the shoreline for better altitude reference.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 24 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents24

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