On July 4, 1988, a Lake LA-4 (registration N6655L) operated by Walter Fil was involved in an aviation accident near Linden, NJ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: HARD LANDING DUE TO IMPROPER LEVEL OFF OF THE STUDENT AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION. THE LEFT WING PARTIALLY FAILED BECAUSE OF OVERLOAD AND THE AIRCRAFT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A SWAMP. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a full-stop landing practice, a student pilot had difficulty maintaining directional control. The CFI took over, applied left aileron, and creases appeared on the left wing. The aircraft landed in marshland, sustaining structural overload damage.
Incident Details
During a training flight focusing on full-stop landing practice, the student pilot was handling the controls but experienced difficulty maintaining directional control as the aircraft climbed very slowly. The certified flight instructor (CFI) assumed control and applied significant left aileron input to keep the wings level. At that point, the student observed creases in the upper skin of the left wing. The aircraft was able to clear nearby power lines, but due to the surrounding terrain, the CFI decided to land straight ahead in marshland. Upon touchdown, the aircraft bounced and decelerated rapidly as it spun around.
Examination Findings
A metallurgical inspection of the left wing revealed a compression buckle with upward bending of the wing structure. The internal structural members of the wing exhibited signs of overload and overstress failures.