Skip to content

CEN20CA213

2020-06-04 · Cadillac, Michigan, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport CAD

Current FAA registration · N68EE

Make / Model
PIPER PA-18-150
Year of manufacture
1975 · 45 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19750428
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A90147

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the float-equipped airplane after the float became caught on the trailer used for takeoff.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he was attempting to takeoff in the float-equipped airplane from a trailer pulled down the runway by a truck. He reported that there was a direct crosswind from the right at 7 knots. As the truck’s speed increased, the airplane shifted on the trailer and the left float contacted a vertical post that blocked the float from contacting the tire. As the airplane attempted to depart the trailer, the float chine caught on the trailer and turned the airplane toward the ground. The left wing struck the ground first, followed by the floats, propeller, and right wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • F Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Ground equipment-Contributed to outcome - F

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2020_CEN20CA213.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.