No fatalities

Hard Water Landing During Flight Instruction

Needles, CA, United States

On November 24, 2012, a PIPER PA18 A150 operated by Sheble Aviation and Flight School was involved in an aviation accident near Needles, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The flight instructor, while demonstrating a water landing to the pilot receiving instruction, did not maintain proper alignment with the landing surface, which resulted in a hard landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-09-03Data APIEditorial standards

A float-equipped airplane was substantially damaged after impacting the water misaligned with the intended landing path during a CFI demonstration to an airline transport pilot.

Incident Overview A certified flight instructor (CFI) was providing instruction to an airline transport pilot in a float-equipped airplane. The accident occurred during a demonstration of a water landing. The aircraft impacted the water's surface misaligned with the intended landing path. A postaccident examination revealed that the airframe was substantially damaged during the hard landing. No specific aircraft type, registration, date, operator, location, or cause is provided in the source material. The incident involved a hard water landing during a flight instruction session, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe.

Contributing factors

Instructor/check pilotHeading/course — Not attained/maintained

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 24 Nov 2012 PIPER PA18 A150 accident near Needles, CA?

A float-equipped airplane was substantially damaged after impacting the water misaligned with the intended landing path during a CFI demonstration to an airline transport pilot.

Were there any fatalities in the 24 Nov 2012 PIPER PA18 A150 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 24 Nov 2012 involved a PIPER PA18 A150, operated by Sheble Aviation and Flight School, at Needles, CA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The flight instructor, while demonstrating a water landing to the pilot receiving instruction, did not maintain proper alignment with the landing surface, which resulted in a hard landing.