Aviat Aircraft INC A-1C-180 accident near South Park, Indiana, August 3, 2024
On August 3, 2024 at about 5:04 pm local time, a 2008 Aviat Aircraft INC A-1C-180, registered N177DB, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near South Park, Indiana. 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2024 · about 5:04 pm local time
- Place
- South Park, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat Aircraft INC A-1C-180, built 2008 · all A-1C-180s on the register
- Registration
- N177DB · no longer on the register · serial 3019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing a takeoff in an amphibious, float-equipped airplane. During the takeoff the pilot lost control, the airplane pitched forward, the floats dug into the water, and the airplane became airborne. The airplane rolled to the left, the left wing tip struck the water and subsequently nosed over. During the accident sequence the right wing, right aileron, and left wing strut were substantially damaged. When asked by the responding officer what he thought the cause of the accident was, he stated that it was a result of being a little high and slow on his approach, and the airplane hit the water hard, causing damage to the plane. The pilot later reported that there was a mechanical failure of the left float which was the result of a hard landing on asphalt five weeks before the accident. The pilot did not have any documentation of damage from the hard landing. He later stated that the takeoff did not feel right and that the entire flight he had to correct for the left wing dropping. The pilot stated to the responding officer that he did not examine all the components of the airplane before taking off. After reviewing video footage of the accident, it is unlikely that there were any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 27, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 466 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1P (piston); 493 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANQ Angola IN at 3:00 pm
- Destination: K01D Syracuse IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from KASW, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KASW 031655Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 28/20 A2996 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on November 8, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Video File | MOV file | Download |
| 4 | Mor Idnr Law Enforcement Incident Report | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Alcohol Reading | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN24LA300.