Amateur-built Spencer Amphib 1-12E accident near Pensacola, Florida, August 4, 2001
On August 4, 2001 at about 8:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Spencer Amphib 1-12E, registered N112MD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pensacola, Florida. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The dragging of the right wing during water operations for undetermined reasons resulting in the airplane flipping inverted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2001 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pensacola, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Spencer Amphib 1-12E
- Registration
- N112MD · no longer on the register · serial 201
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated they landed on Perdido and to perform water maneuvers. During the first water maneuver the airplane developed a tendency to turn to the right as it gained speed. On the second maneuver, at 20 to 25 knots, the airplane again started turning to the right. He reduced engine power to investigate what was wrong, and when he did the right wing went further into the water and the airplane turned over inverted. The left wing went into the water and contacted the bottom of the bay. Their intentions, had the accident not occurred, was to take off after high speed taxiing and return to Coastal Airport. Postcrash examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector showed the right float was damaged during the accident and it could not be determined what was causing the airplane to turn right during water 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 5,400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 7, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 824 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 5, 2000; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-285-C2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 83J Pensacola FL at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from PNS, 8 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.