Lake LA-4 accident near Sidney, Maine, July 21, 1985
On July 21, 1985 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Lake LA-4, registered N6668L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sidney, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- July 21, 1985 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sidney, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4 · all LA-4s on the register
- Registration
- N6668L · no longer on the register · serial 431
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE ACFT WAS ON STEP AND IN INDICATING ABOUT 45 KTS AIRSPEED. IT THEN ENCOUNTERED A BOAT WAKE AND BEGAN FLYING. THE ACFT PORPOISED 2 OR 3 TIMES AND THEN COLLIDED WITH THE WATER IN AN ESTIMATED 10 TO 15 DEG NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PWR WAS OFF. DURING THE COLLISION, THE LEFT PONTOON BECAME DETACHED AND THE ACFT BEGAN TO FILL WITH WATER. THE ACFT SANK IN ABOUT 4 MINUTES ACCORDING TO THE PLT.
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
- Flight time: 375 hours in all; 375 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 375 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 765 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Moosehead Lake ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from AUG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.