N89SR

Substantial
None

ZWICKER MURRAY R GLASTARS/N: 5492

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, April 30, 2017
NTSB Number
GAA17CA301
Location
Napa, CA
Event ID
20170501X13028
Coordinates
38.655555, -122.262222
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The amphibious float-equipped airplane's encounter with a submerged object during a water landing, which resulted in a nose-over.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N89SR
Make
ZWICKER MURRAY R
Serial Number
5492
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
1997
Model / ICAO
GLASTARBPAT
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
SALE REPORTED
Address
C/O PRETECH INC AERO DEV DIV
5292 PACHECO BLVD
Status
Deregistered
City
PACHECO
State / Zip Code
CA 94553-5104
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot of the amphibious float-equipped airplane reported that, after the owner had completed multiple touch-and-go water landings, he elected to take the flight controls and perform a few water landings himself. He added that his first touch-and-go water landing "went very well." However, during the second touch-and-go water landing, the touchdown was smooth, but as he added power to "begin the climb away", the airplane veered right and nosed over into the water. He added that, the right float may have struck a submerged object during the landing.

The right wing lift strut sustained substantial damage.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Aviation Safety Inspector who inspected the accident airplane postaccident, the forward first third section of the right float was bent upward and had "scratching and scoring" marks on the bottom side of the float. He added that he did not observe any rust or corrosion on either float.

A review of the FAA airman certification database revealed that neither pilot held an airplane single engine sea rating.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA17CA301