History of Flight
On May 2, 2013, about 1629 eastern daylight time, a Grumman G44 seaplane, registration N8AS, was substantially damaged when it impacted the waters of the Hudson River during a water landing near Catskill, New York. The certificated airline transport pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed from B Flat Farm Airport (3NK8), Copake, New York, about 1600.
Approximately 25 witness interviews were conducted. Descriptions varied between witness statements as to the altitude, direction of flight, and velocity of the airplane; however, the preponderance of witness statements were that the airplane was first observed flying southbound low above the Hudson River and the airplane's engines could be heard to be running. The airplane then made a 180-degree left turn until it had reversed direction and was flying in a northerly direction. The airplane descended, leveled off above the surface of the water, then suddenly banked to the left and struck the water with the nose and left pontoon, nosed over, then caught fire, and sank.
Personnel Information
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and pilot records, the pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with multiple ratings including airplane multi-engine land and airplane multi-engine sea, commercial privileges for airplane single engine land and airplane single engine sea, and a type rating for the G-73. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on February 2, 2012, with limitations that required him to wear lenses that correct for distant vision and possess glasses that correct for near vision. He also possessed a statement of demonstrated ability for defective color vision. He had accrued approximately 5,735 total hours of flight experience, of which approximately 411 hours were in the accident airplane make and model.
Aircraft Information
The accident aircraft was a twin-engine, high wing, tail wheel equipped, amphibious airplane of conventional metal construction. It was powered by two 295-horsepower, horizontally opposed, air cooled, geared, 6-cylinder engines, driving three-bladed, constant speed, variable pitch propellers. According to FAA and maintenance records, the airplane was manufactured in 1943. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on May 25, 2012. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accrued 2,251 total hours of operation.
Meteorological Information
The recorded weather at Albany International Airport (ALB), Albany, New York, located approximately 29 nautical miles north of the accident site, at 1651, included: winds 190 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 9,000 feet, temperature 27 degrees C, dew point 03 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.29 inches of mercury. Review of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Tide Prediction Chart for the area of the accident indicated that at the time of the accident the river was at slack tide. Witnesses described the water conditions at the time as calm.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest on the bottom of the Hudson River in 20 to 25 feet of water. Examination of the river bottom utilizing side scan sonar revealed that the airplane had broken apart and that the major portions of the airplane were contained within an approximately 250-foot long debris field oriented on a 039-degree magnetic heading. Examination of the wreckage recovered from the debris field revealed that the airplane breakup occurred during the impact sequence and not prior to impact with the water. Further examination revealed that the damage pattern was consistent with witness observations, with the airplane having made contact with the surface of the river with the airplane's nose first, then the left float, in a left wing low, nose down attitude. Evidence of a postcrash fire was evident primarily in the area of the right main fuel tank where it had been breached by the right engine nacelle structure during the impact sequence. There was no evidence of an inflight fire. Continuity was established from the ailerons, rudder, and elevator to the breaks in the flight control system which displayed evidence of tensile overload and from the breaks in the flight control system to the control column and rudder pedals. The landing gear handle was in the up position and examination of the main landing gear wheels up catches, and tail wheel retracting bell crank assembly, indicated that the landing gear was in the up position during the impact sequence. Examination of the wing flaps revealed that they were in the extended position during the impact sequence.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy was performed on the pilot by St. Peter's Hospital Laboratory Department of Pathology on behalf of the Greene County Coroner. Cause of death was massive blunt force injuries. Toxicological testing of the pilot was conducted at the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The specimens from the pilot were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, basic, acidic, and neutral drugs with the exception of diclofenac, rosuvastatin, and valsartan. Both diclofenac and valsartan had been previously reported to his Aviation Medical Examiner.