Lake LA-4-200 accident near Dewey, Washington, January 17, 2026
On January 17, 2026, a 1973 Lake LA-4-200, registered N48X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Dewey, Washington. It was an instructional 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 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2026 · cases in 2026
- Place
- Dewey, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4-200, built 1973 · all LA-4-200s on the register
- Registration
- N48X · registry record · serial 560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On January 16, 2026, at 1609 Pacific daylight time, a Lake LA-4-200, N48X sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Dewey, Washington. The flight instructor and student pilot were uninjured. The amphibious airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor stated that he was conducting familiarization training with a student. They departed Skagit Regional Airport (BVS), Burlington/Mount Vernon, Washington, and were performing water landings at Lake Campbell, Washington. Upon touching down on the water the nose pitched forward in the water, resulting in a broken windscreen and substantial damage to the airplane. The engine would not start so they paddled to shore. Preliminary examination of the airplane showed damage to the nose gear doors. The flight instructor believed that the nose landing gear was prevented from retracting completely due to wheel contact with the landing gear door. The flight instructor told investigators that he visually confirmed the main landing gear were retracted prior to landing using the convex mirrors located on the aircraft’s sponsons. The airplane was retained for further examination.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,028 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 2025; 35 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: BVS Burlington WA
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from NUW, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): 3:53 PM 47 °F 40 °F 77 % NNW 7 mph 0 mph 30.36 in 0.0 in Fair
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N48X on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Lake LA-4 137 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Lake 137 aircraft on the register
- Skagit Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,580 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR26LA090.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.