Piper PA -18 accident near Winter Haven, Florida, February 12, 2002
On February 12, 2002 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Piper PA -18, registered N8553C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winter Haven, Florida (Gilbert airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare during an attempted landing on water. A factor was glassy water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 2002 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Winter Haven, Florida · Gilbert · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA -18 · all PA -18s on the register
- Registration
- N8553C · registry record · serial 18-2699
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A seaplane collided with water during an attempted glassy water landing. The pilot said he misjudged his altitude and flared prematurely during the flare to touchdown. The left wing dropped and contacted the water. The airplane cartwheeled, and the right wing contacted the water as well.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,540 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,420 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 2001; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Winterhaven FL at 3:00 pm
- Destination: Lake Eloise FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway GIF
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from TPA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.