Quest II Walsh Ltd. AVENTURA II accident near Antioch, California, December 26, 1999
On December 26, 1999 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Quest II Walsh Ltd. AVENTURA II, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N8180Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Antioch, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inattention to the fact that he had failed to retract the landing gear wheels prior to performing a water landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 1999 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Antioch, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quest II Walsh Ltd. AVENTURA II AVENTURA I, amateur-built
- Registration
- N8180Q · registry record · serial AP2A0052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot took off in the amphibious airplane from an asphalt runway, and then he flew to a lake. The pilot indicated that during the landing approach he forgot to retract the landing gear wheels. Upon touchdown in the water, the airplane nosed over.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 60 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 140 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 27, 1999; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C83 Byron CA at 9:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 142°F (61°C), dew point 102°F (39°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from SCK, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.