Aviat A1 N480F

Summary

On 23 January 2021 at about 19:30 local time, a Aviat A1 registered N480F was involved in an accident near Terrell, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one 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

23 January 2021 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Terrell, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Lake (NONE)

Coordinates

35.6238, -80.9305

Aircraft

Aviat A1

Registration

N480F

Category

Airplane

Year built

2007

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mooresville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA21LA114

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to retract the landing gear on the amphibious airplane prior to a water landing, resulting in a nose over and structural damage to the airframe. The mechanic’s failure to remove electrical tape from the pitot tube, the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection, and the pilot’s failure to visually confirm the landing gear position prior to touchdown were all factors in the accident.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was performing a repositioning flight following the completion of an annual inspection. After departing from a runway in his amphibious airplane, he observed a large, open area on a nearby lake and decided to perform a touch-and-go landing. Upon touchdown, the airplane flipped over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. Due to his injuries, the pilot had no recollection of the accident. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration reported that, during wreckage recovery from the lake, all four landing gear wheels were in the extended positions, and the landing gear handle was in the “Down Land” position. He also noted that the pilot tube was covered in black electrical tape, blocking airflow through the tube. A pitot/static discrepancy was found during the annual inspection and the repair was deferred. The airplane was equipped with a backup landing gear position advisory system that would provide an audible message confirming the position of the gear prior to landing; however, the audible component would not work properly if the pilot tube was obstructed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.