Lake LA-4 accident near Lake George, New York, August 12, 1987
On August 12, 1987 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Lake LA-4, registered N8012Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake George, New York. 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
- August 12, 1987 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lake George, New York · 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
- N8012Q · no longer on the register · serial 1067
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE TAKING OFF FROM A LAKE, THE AMPHIBIOUS AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN OBJECT. THE PLANE SETTLED BACK INTO THE WATER BREAKING THE WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE COCKPIT BEGAN FILLING WITH WATER AND THE ACFT SANK IN ABOUT 45 FEET OF WATER.
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: 218 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 29 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 325 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 1987; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,690 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:45 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.