Siai-Marchetti SM 1019 accident near Lakeport, California, September 7, 2019
On September 7, 2019 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1979 Siai-Marchetti SM 1019, registered N16XC, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lakeport, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff in gusting, variable wind conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and subsequent impact with water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2019 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeport, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Siai-Marchetti SM 1019, built 1979 · all SM 1019s on the register
- Registration
- N16XC · registry record · serial 045
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the float-equipped airplane reported that, while taking off from a lake, the airplane accelerated, became airborne and that, about 40 ft above the water, he retracted the flaps. The airplane pitched down, and the left wing dropped. He attempted to correct to no avail, and the airplane impacted the water. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that he believed P factor caused the left roll because the airplane aerodynamically stalled and would not correct despite his attempts to do so. He also stated that he had accrued 5 hours in the airplane make and model, 2 hours of which occurred in the preceding 30 days. The pilot reported that it was a very windy, gusty day and that the wind was variable. An automated weather observation station located 15 miles west of the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 300° at 14 knots, gusting to 20 knots. The airplane was departing to the south.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,777 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 7,777 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 9, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,639.0 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-B15G (turboprop); 1,486 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lakeport CA at 10:54 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from KUKI, 15 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 GAA19CA528.