Lake LA-250 accident near Alton Bay, New Hampshire, July 6, 1987
On July 6, 1987 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Lake LA-250, registered N1403W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alton Bay, New Hampshire (Lake Winnipesaukee airport). 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 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 6, 1987 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Alton Bay, New Hampshire · Lake Winnipesaukee
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-250
- Registration
- N1403W · no longer on the register · serial 33
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LAKE RENEGADE 250 WAS MAKING A WATER TAKEOFF WHEN IT STARTED A SHARP LEFT TURN. THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED IN THE WATER AND THE PILOT EXITED WITHOUT INJURIES PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT TURNING OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED THAT THE ENGINE PYLON HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND WAS ATTACHED ONLY BY THE RIGHT FLYING WIRE. THE OWNER HAD THE FAILED PARTS EXAMINED BY A INDEPENDENT LABORATORY AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF A PRE-EXISTING FAILURE. WHEN THE PARTS WERE EXAMINED BY THE SAFETY BOARD'S METALLURGICAL LABORATORY, THEY WERE UNABLE TO SUPPORT THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST EXAMINATION AND CONCLUDED THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS OVERLOAD.
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: 252 hours in all; 226 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 162 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 226 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, February 22, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BED Bedford MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.