Lake LA-4-200 accident near St.Augustine, Florida, August 2, 1987
On August 2, 1987 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Lake LA-4-200, registered N2878P, was substantially damaged in an accident near St.Augustine, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- August 2, 1987 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- St.Augustine, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4-200 · all LA-4-200s on the register
- Registration
- N2878P · registry record · serial 935
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE WATER TAKEOFF RUN THE PLT'S FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS MOMENTARILY LOST AS HE ROTATED THE ACFT ONTO THE STEP. WHEN VISIBILITY WAS REGAINED HE REALIZED THAT THE ACFT WAS HEADED TOWARDS THE SHORELINE & TURNED TO AVOID IT DURING WHICH THE RT WING TIP WAS DRAGGED CAUSING THE ACFT TO WATER LOOP.
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: 184 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 103 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1987; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,690 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming I0-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Amphibian Enterprises,Inc.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from CRG, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.