Lake LA4-270T accident near Crowley, Louisiana, February 28, 2004
On February 28, 2004 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Lake LA4-270T, registered N193TM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crowley, Louisiana. 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 inadvertant water landing with the landing gear extended. Contributing factors were the sunglare and the pilot's failure to verify the position of the flaps and landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2004 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Crowley, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA4-270T · all LA4-270Ts on the register
- Registration
- N193TM · registry record · serial 84
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing on a lake, the single-engine amphibian airplane nosed over. The 666-hour pilot reported that he configured the aircraft for a normal approach into the wind for the first of many practice water landings. At approximately 400 feet MSL, he inadvertently selected the landing gear handle, while reaching for the flap handle. The landing gear and the flap handles are two position levers, with the flaps either being full "UP" or full "DOWN", as is the landing gear lever. As he continued the approach and performed the "flow check", the pilot reported that the rising sun created a glare within the cockpit, which prevented verification of the position of the flaps and landing gear. Confirmation of the landing gear position with the external mirrors was also impaired by the sunlight. Upon contact with the water, the airplane "violently" flipped over onto its back. The pilot stated that for the previous three weeks he was unable to practice water landings, due to maintenance on the nose gear doors. During this time, he performed landings on hard surface runways.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 666 hours in all; 545 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 616 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 14, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,569 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2003; 74 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,140 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3R7 Jennings LA at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
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.