Aviat A-1B accident near Alexander City, Alabama, December 30, 2005
On December 30, 2005 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Aviat A-1B, registered N841CF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alexander City, Alabama. 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 failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain the proper rate of descent during approach for landing to the glassy water resulting in a hard landing and separation of the floats.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 2005 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Alexander City, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat A-1B
- Registration
- N841CF · registry record · serial 2152
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after takeoff the flight proceeded to the destination airport which he circled several times then elected to proceed to Lake Martin where he elected to perform a "splash and go" landing. When near the lake he noticed glassy water conditions and established himself on a long gradual descent. During the approach he reviewed the glassy water landing procedures in his mind and maintained 150-200 feet-per-minute rate of descent. At a time in the flight when he thought the airplane, "should have touched down by now...", he heard a loud sound and the airplane became airborne. The floats departed the airplane and he applied full power to climb, but the airplane would not climb. While in a tail-low attitude the airplane contacted the water. He exited the airplane and was rescued by an individual in a boat who responded to the scene. He further stated there was no mechanical malfunction or failure.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,380 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Equality AL at 10:25 pm
- Destination: AL71 Our Town AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.