Petz FLYING BOAT N1216Z

Summary

On 28 August 2003 at about 15:38 local time, a Petz FLYING BOAT registered N1216Z was involved in an accident near Tracy, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 August 2003 at 15:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Tracy, California, United States

Nearest airport

Tracy Municipal (KTCY)

Coordinates

37.6792, -121.2997

Aircraft

Petz FLYING BOAT

Registration

N1216Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tracy → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX03LA267

1 person died.

The inadequate design of the engine exhaust system and inappropriate selection of propeller materials by the designer/builder, which resulted in separation of the propeller blades during takeoff/initial climb, and a subsequent in-flight collision with terrain during the ensuing off-airport emergency landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A single engine, amphibian, four person airplane, designed and built by the pilot, lost propeller thrust and collided with terrain. Witnesses stated the airplane took off and climbed to about 150 feet, when it started to turn back to the airport. As it turned, it descended into a gravel pit area, collided with a raised embankment, and was immediately engulfed in fire. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the engine exhaust outlet was about 9 inches from the composite propeller. Hot exhaust gasses from the outlet weakened the propeller blades, ultimately resulting in propeller failure and lost of propeller thrust.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.