Casualties unknown

Floatplane Waterloops After Landing on Calm Water (N6988B)

Bullhead City, AZ, US

On October 30, 1995, a Piper PA-18 (registration N6988B) was involved in an aviation accident near Bullhead City, AZ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: 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. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

A floatplane waterlooped after the instructor made an abrupt rudder input to avoid running aground following loss of directional control by the student pilot during a landing on glassy water.

Accident Details

After landing on glassy water in calm wind conditions, the student pilot lost directional control of the floatplane, causing it to veer toward the shoreline. To prevent the aircraft from running aground, the flight instructor made an abrupt rudder pedal input. This action resulted in the aircraft waterlooping.

Pilot Experience

The flight instructor was recently certificated and had accumulated 14 hours of flight instruction experience, of which 6 hours were in floatplanes. The student pilot was performing his first floatplane landing when the accident occurred.

The accident sequence involved a loss of directional control during a glassy water landing, followed by an evasive maneuver that led to a waterloop. No other details about the aircraft or location were provided in the source.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001207X04742. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.