Lake LA4-250 N1405F

Summary

On 29 May 1988 at about 18:47 local time, a Lake LA4-250 registered N1405F, operated by Harry W. Rhule, was involved in an accident near Shaftsbury, Vermont, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

29 May 1988 at 18:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Shaftsbury, Vermont, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Lake LA4-250

Registration

N1405F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Harry W. Rhule

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pittsburgh → Laconia

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC88FA147

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE LAKE AMPHIBIAN WAS BEING FLOWN WITH TWO FERRY TANKS INSTALLED IN THE CABIN. THE PILOT DEPARTED WITH FULL FUEL IN THE AIRCRAFT TANKS AND 15 GALLONS IN THE FERRY TANKS. THE CENTER OF GRAVITY AT ZERO FUEL WEIGHT WAS 3/4 INCH PAST THE AFT LIMIT. WITH ADDITION OF FUEL THE POSITION OF THE CG REMAINED UNCHANGED, HOWEVER, THE AFT LIMIT OF THE ENVELOPE MOVED FORWARD WITH HIGHER WEIGHTS. A CONNECTION WHERE THE FERRY TANKS WERE PLUMBED INTO THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEM LEAKED AND ALLOWED AIR TO BE SUCKED INTO THE SYSTEM. WITNESSES REPORTED THE ENGINE INTERMITTENT, THEN THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A SPIN FROM WHICH IT DID NOT RECOVER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.