Event ERA21LA114

Factual 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. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Landing gear system-Landing gear selector-Incorrect use/operation
• — Personnel issues-Task performance-Maintenance-Scheduled/routine maintenance-Maintenance personnel
• — Personnel issues-Task performance-Inspection-Preflight inspection-Pilot
• — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of checklist-Pilot