Seaside Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Seaside Heights, New Jersey 08751
Friday, September 1, 1995 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF AN AMPHIBIOUS AIRPLANE DEPARTED FROM AN AREA OF WATER WITH WAVES AND BOAT WAVES. DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB, ABOUT 10 FEET ABOVE THE WATER, THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. THE PILOT LANDED THE PLANE BACK ON THE WATER, BUT 'SLIGHTLY NOSE DOWN,' AND THE FUSELAGE WAS BUCKLED. AN OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE ENGINE WAS MADE, AND NOTHING ABNORMAL WAS NOTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate flare for landing, which resulted in an in-flight collision with rough water. Factors relating to the accident were: loss of engine power for an undetermined reason and rough water.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SEASIDE HEIGHTS
Event State NEW JERSEY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 08751
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SEASIDE PARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1465
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 1 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5TB
NTSB Number NYC95LA211
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LAKE
Aircraft Model LA-4-200
Aircraft Series Identifier LA-4-200
Aircraft Serial Number 609
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 20 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 79
Airframe Hours 1600
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS BUCK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 40 WASHINGTON AVE.
Aircraft Owner City MILLTOWN
Aircraft Owner State NJ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 08850
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --