Lake LA-4 accident near Alderwood Manor, Washington, April 3, 1984
On April 3, 1984 at about 2:35 am local time, a Lake LA-4, registered N6665L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alderwood Manor, Washington (Martha Lake 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
- April 3, 1984 · about 2:35 am local time
- Place
- Alderwood Manor, Washington · Martha Lake · 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
- N6665L · no longer on the register · serial 428
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, HE OBSERVED THE ACFT FROM TAXI TO TAKEOFF, THEN FROM BASE THROUGHOUT THE LANDING. HE OBSERVED THE ACFT WITH THE GEAR DOWN ON BASE LEG & SAID THE PLT FLEW A LOW & SHORT FINAL APCH. HE STATED THE PLT CUT POWER SHORT OF THE RWY & THE ACFT DROPPED IN FROM ABOUT 20 FT AGL. AFTER LANDING, THE ACFT VEERED LEFT & STOPPED FACING 180 DEG FROM THE DIRECTION OF LANDING WITH THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, A HYDRAULIC FITTING FAILED & ALL FLUID DRAINED IN FLT.
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: 29 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 24, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S13 Alderwood WA at 2:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 1,700 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:46 am from PAE, 8 miles away
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.