Amateur-built AVID FLYER MK IV accident near Moses Lake, Washington, September 18, 1994
On September 18, 1994 at about 11:27 pm local time, a amateur-built AVID FLYER MK IV, registered N1280D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moses Lake, Washington. 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
PROPER DESCENT RATE WAS EXCEEDED. LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OPERATION WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 1994 · about 11:27 pm local time
- Place
- Moses Lake, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AVID FLYER MK IV AVID FLYER
- Registration
- N1280D · no longer on the register · serial 1280D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH FOR A WATER LANDING, THE AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A HIGH SINK RATE. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT WAS NOT RATED FOR SEAPLANE OPERATIONS AND EXCEPT FOR TWENTY HOURS HE HAD RECENTLY ACCUMULATED IN THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT HAD NOT FLOWN FOR THREE YEARS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 300 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MWH WA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from MWH, 5 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.