History of Flight
On September 27, 2013, at an undetermined time, an experimental amateur-built amphibious Lowerre S-12-E (registration N220BL) came to rest inverted in Lake Okeechobee near Pahokee, Florida, during an unknown phase of flight. The aircraft, operated by a private individual, had departed Boca Raton Airport (BCT) at about 1442 for a personal flight under visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from BCT, where the airplane was based.
The pilot's sister informed law enforcement that he left Margate at 1330 for BCT, intending to meet her later that day at a restaurant in Fort Lauderdale.
The flight was cleared for takeoff from runway 05 at 1442:40 by BCT tower controllers for a northwest-bound departure. At 1443:36, an uncorrelated radar target was noted at about 1,100 ft mean sea level near the runway midpoint. Radar targets showed the airplane continuing to the departure end, then turning to a northwesterly heading. At 1446:20, the local controller approved a frequency change and provided the VHF frequency for West Palm Beach Approach Control; at that time, a radar target was 2.63 nautical miles and 314 degrees from the departure end. The pilot did not contact West Palm Beach Approach, and no further communications occurred with ATC. Radar targets indicated the aircraft continued northwest, with the last uncorrelated target at 1514:09 over Lake Okeechobee at 800 ft, heading west-northwest, about 3.2 nautical miles and 341 degrees from the center of Pahokee Airport. There were no known witnesses.
The pilot's sister later reported calling her brother at 1745 but the call went to voicemail.
On September 28, a person walking near Lake Okeechobee observed what appeared to be an overturned boat and contacted law enforcement, who confirmed it was the accident airplane. The pilot's body was recovered from the cockpit. A section of the right wing about 76 inches long was found floating away from the crash site and was retained for examination. Divers reported the pilot was strapped in his seat and the landing gear appeared damaged. The wreckage was located about 1.7 nautical miles and 126 degrees from the last radar target.
Pilot Information
The pilot, age 69, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and sea, and instrument airplane ratings. He obtained his private pilot certificate on August 20, 1977, added a sea rating in 1978, and obtained a commercial certificate in 1980. He also held a flight instructor certificate (issued January 22, 2012) and a repairman certificate (January 12, 2012). He held a third-class medical certificate dated April 8, 2013, with a limitation for corrective lenses.
A review of his logbook (entries from March 29, 1986, to August 31, 2013) showed a carry-forward single-engine sea flight time of 20.6 hours and total carry-forward time of 674.0 hours. Total logged time was 1,882.5 hours, with approximately 1,812 hours as pilot-in-command. There were gaps in flying between August 1993 and May 1999, and August 2000 and April 2005. Between March 29, 1986, and September 1, 2006, he logged no single-engine sea time; he logged about 8 hours sea time from September 2006 to November 2009, and none between November 2009 and his first water flight in the accident airplane on April 12, 2012. He logged a total of about 43 hours single-engine sea time, of which 29.6 hours were in the accident make and model.
Aircraft Information
The amphibious airplane was manufactured by the pilot in 2012 as a Lowerre S-12-E (serial number 220). It was powered by a 285-horsepower Continental 6-285 engine and equipped with a Hartzell constant-speed HC-E3YR-7LF propeller. The airplane had been operated for 29.6 hours since manufacture, excluding the accident flight. No maintenance records were located.
Meteorological Information
A surface observation at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) at 1453 on September 27, 2013, indicated visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 2,700 ft, scattered clouds at 5,000 and 6,000 ft. Temperature 30°C, dew point 21°C, altimeter 29.84 inHg. The wreckage was about 33 nautical miles and 284 degrees from PBI.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest inverted in about 5.5 ft of water in Lake Okeechobee at 26°49.113'N, 080°41.209'W. Partially submerged, the rudder remained attached, the right sponson was attached, and the hull appeared undamaged. The aft hull and lower empennage were visible; neither main landing gear was visible. The wreckage was about 300 yards from the nearest point of land near Marker 68. The airplane was heading 330 degrees, with no visible fuel or oil sheen.
An approximately 76-inch section of the right wing was recovered. Inspection revealed a section of aileron remained attached at the outer, middle, and inboard hinges, and the aileron push/pull tube remained attached to the bellcrank but showed bending overload about 20.5 inches from the attach point. The spar was displaced aft and fractured consistent with bending overload. The recovered wing section was secured. A buoy was not placed on the wreckage.
On November 1, 2013, a search for the aircraft at the location it was found the day after the accident was performed by a company contracted by the insurance company, but the wreckage was not located.
Additional Information
Fuel records from the departure airport showed the airplane was last fueled on August 31, 2013, with 35.7 gallons of 100LL fuel. The pilot's logbook indicated the airplane was not flown after that date. There were no records of issues from other airplanes fueled from the same source.
Medical and Pathological Information
A postmortem examination of the pilot was performed by the District 15 Medical Examiner's Office in West Palm Beach, Florida. The cause of death was listed as drowning. The autopsy noted a 1 cm horizontal superficial laceration on the bridge of the nose and non-lethal subgaleal contusions on both sides of the scalp; the skull was free of acute trauma.
Forensic toxicology by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory found putrefied samples, negative for carbon monoxide. Testing for cyanide was not performed. Varying amounts of ethanol were detected in blood, heart, and muscle specimens; none in brain. Unquantified N-Propanol was detected in blood and heart. Unquantified Rosuvastatin was detected in urine but not in blood.
Survival Aspects
Because the airplane was not recovered, no determination could be made as to why the pilot did not escape from the inverted airplane.