Siai-Marchetti SM 1019 N16XC

Summary

On 7 September 2019 at about 23:00 local time, a Siai-Marchetti SM 1019 registered N16XC was involved in an accident near Lakeport, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 September 2019 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lakeport, California, United States

Coordinates

39.0394, -122.9078

Aircraft

Siai-Marchetti SM 1019

Registration

N16XC

Category

Airplane

Year built

1979

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lakeport → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA528

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff in gusting, variable wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and subsequent impact with water.  

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, while taking off from a lake, the airplane accelerated, became airborne and that, about 40 ft above the water, he retracted the flaps. The airplane pitched down, and the left wing dropped. He attempted to correct to no avail, and the airplane impacted the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that he believed P factor caused the left roll because the airplane aerodynamically stalled and would not correct despite his attempts to do so. He also stated that he had accrued 5 hours in the airplane make and model, 2 hours of which occurred in the preceding 30 days. The pilot reported that it was a very windy, gusty day and that the wind was variable. An automated weather observation station located 15 miles west of the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 300° at 14 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The airplane was departing to the south.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.