Lake LA-4 accident near Wilton, Maine, September 21, 1991
On September 21, 1991 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Lake LA-4, registered N1012L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wilton, Maine. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING ON ROUGH WATER WHICH RESULTED IN THE RIGHT WING TIP CONTACTING THE WATER CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO NOSE OVER AND SINK. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE, THE PILOT'S LOW TIME AND EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1991 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wilton, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4 · all LA-4s on the register
- Registration
- N1012L · no longer on the register · serial 225
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID WHEN HE LANDED ON ROUGH WATER THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND THE RIGHT WING TIP CONTACTED THE WATER. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AND SANK.
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: 172 hours in all; 47 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,928 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 1991; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-AI0 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Al'S Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 3B5 at 3:30 pm
- Destination: 3B5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.