Piper PA-18AS-125 N1907A

Summary

On 22 March 2023 at about 20:48 local time, a Piper PA-18AS-125 registered N1907A was involved in an accident near Lakeland, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 March 2023 at 20:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Lakeland, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Umatilla Muni (X23)

Coordinates

28.0264, -81.9098

Aircraft

Piper PA-18AS-125

Registration

N1907A

Category

Airplane

Year built

1952

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA179

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to ensure that the landing gear was properly configured for a water landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After obtaining fuel at a land-based airport, the pilot noted a small leak in the amphibious airplane’s hydraulic landing gear extension/retraction system. He subsequently departed for the accident flight. While the pilot was landing the airplane on a lake, he noticed that the landing gear were still extended; the airplane flipped over immediately upon touchdown and the airplane’s right wing was substantially damaged. Examination of the hydraulic system after the accident confirmed the small leak, but otherwise did not reveal evidence of a failure of the system. Additionally, the airplane was equipped with landing gear position indicating lights that should have alerted the pilot that the landing gear were not fully retracted before touchdown. Had the pilot observed this indication prior to landing, he would likely have aborted the landing attempt and prevented the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.