Lake LA-4 accident near Monticello, Kentucky, September 6, 2013
On September 6, 2013 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1964 Lake LA-4, registered N1136L, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Monticello, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An encounter with a large wave during water taxi, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2013 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Monticello, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4, built 1964 · all LA-4s on the register
- Registration
- N1136L · no longer on the register · serial 298
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he made a pass over the lake in search of a landing site with the least amount of boat traffic. After an uneventful water landing, he began to water taxi the airplane; however, his passenger and he noticed a large wave approaching at a 45 degree angle from the port side of the airplane. As the wave impacted the airplane’s pontoons, the pilot encountered a strong left rudder deflection and the airplane nosed over into the water. A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the airplane’s nose section. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi
- Nose over/nose down during taxi defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › (general) › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › (general) › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 4, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,023 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 A1A (piston); 2,023 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EKQ Monticello KY at 9:15 pm
- Destination: None Monticello KY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from EKQ, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA13CA413.