Lantz LAKE TAHOE SPECIAL accident near Redding, California, January 21, 2011
On January 21, 2011 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Lantz LAKE TAHOE SPECIAL, registered N48VP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Redding, California (Lake Shasta airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane's unintentional collision with debris during a water landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 2011 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Redding, California · Lake Shasta · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lantz LAKE TAHOE SPECIAL
- Registration
- N48VP · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, following an uneventful water landing on a lake, the amphibious airplane was slowing down and transitioning from the step when he heard a loud noise followed by an immediate yaw to the right. Subsequently the right wing struck the water, which was followed by the pilot applying power in an attempt to raise the wing. However, the pilot was unsuccessful and elected to turn off the engine and ordered his passengers to exit the airplane. Shortly after the pilot exited the airplane, he observed it roll over upside down in the water and noticed that the right wing float was mostly separated from the wing structure. The pilot stated that he felt that the airplane had struck a floating log or some other debris in the lake during the landing. He further stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Hidden/submerged object › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 26,500 hours in all; 560 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 24,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 28, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 2010; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Gm V8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 085 Redding CA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 085 Redding CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from RDD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.