Lake LA-4-200 accident near Swanton, Vermont, March 25, 1985
On March 25, 1985 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Lake LA-4-200, registered N6024V, was destroyed in an accident near Swanton, Vermont (Franklin CO. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- March 25, 1985 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Swanton, Vermont · Franklin CO.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4-200 · all LA-4-200s on the register
- Registration
- N6024V · no longer on the register · serial 777
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING NORMAL CRUISE FLT THE PLT BECAME UNABLE TO MOVE THE ELEVATOR CONTROL. THE FLT WAS CONTINUED TO THE PLANNED DESTINATION USING ELEVATOR TRIM FOR PITCH CONTROL. ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE RWY THE ACFT WAS CAUGHT BY A WIND GUST & PITCHED NOSE DOWN. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE DESCENT USING ELEVATOR TRIM & UNDERSHOT THE RWY. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED SOLID ICE FORMATIONS IN THE HULL ENCASING THE ELEVATOR CONTROL PUSH-PULL ROD. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE ELEVATOR CONTROL DURING PREFLIGHT. EXTERNAL HEAT WAS APPLIED, CONTROL MOVEMENT WAS POSSIBLE & THE ACFT MADE A NORMAL TAKEOFF.
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
- Flight time: 1,078 hours in all; 572 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 937 as pilot in command; 141 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 57,045 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1984; 1,845 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,690 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Avon NY at 2:15 pm
- Destination: 1B7 Swanton VT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 5°F (-15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm
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.