Lake LA-4 accident near Gainesville, Florida, July 2, 1983
On July 2, 1983 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Lake LA-4, registered N1FQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gainesville, Florida (Gainesville airport). It was a ferry 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1983 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Gainesville, Florida · Gainesville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4 · all LA-4s on the register
- Registration
- N1FQ · no longer on the register · serial 249
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, THE ENG APPEARED TO LOSE POWER AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL, BUT THE GAUGES SHOWED NO MALFUNCTION. THE ACFT BEGAN TO SETTLE, SO HE ELECTED TO LAND ON THE RWY OVERRUN AREA. REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT WAS LANDED SUCCESSFULLY, HOWEVER, WHILE TAXIING BACK ACROSS THE OVERRUN, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR HIT A HOLE & WAS DAMAGED. ALSO, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. AN ENG RUN-UP REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,819 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 10,777 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1981
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 42J Key Stone Hghts FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,147 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from GNV
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.