BULLHEAD CITY, AZ, USA
N6988B
PIPER PA-18
AFTER LANDING ON GLASSY WATER IN CALM WIND CONDITIONS, THE STUDENT PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE FLOATPLANE AND IT VEERED TOWARD THE SHORELINE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR MADE AN ABRUPT RUDDER PEDAL INPUT TO AVOID RUNNING AGROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT WATERLOOPED. THE RECENTLY CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HAD ACQUIRED 14 HOURS OF FLIGHT INSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE, OF WHICH 6 HOURS WERE IN FLOATPLANES. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS MAKING HIS FIRST FLOATPLANE LANDING WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
On October 30, 1995, at 0730 hours mountain standard time, a Piper PA-18 floatplane, N6988B, waterlooped while landing on the Colorado River, 5 miles south of Bullhead City, Arizona. The dual instructional flight was operated by Sheble Riviera Aviation and had departed from the operator's seaplane base at Bullhead City at 0715. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The commercial licensed flight instructor and the private licensed student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight instructor reported that after takeoff the flight proceeded southbound 5 miles to an area where the river is approximately 200 feet wide, and where the operator regularly practices touch-and-go landings. Surface winds were calm and the water was "glassy". The student pilot was in the front seat operating the controls and planned a landing to the south on the river. The instructor reported that "we landed on both floats when suddenly the aircraft veered left and headed for the beach." To avoid running aground, the instructor "stepped on" the right rudder and the aircraft waterlooped to the right, breaking the float fittings and damaging the left wing. Both pilots were operating the flight controls during the waterloop maneuver. The aircraft came to rest near the east shore of the river pointing northward. The recently certificated flight instructor reported 14 hours of dual instruction, including 6 hours in floatplanes. The student pilot was making his first floatplane landing when the accident occurred.
The failure of the pilot/flight instructor to adequately supervise the student pilot resulting in loss of directional control, and his abrupt overcorrection resulting in a waterloop. A contributing factor was the pilot's limited experience as a flight instructor.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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