RPTR PLT DID TOUCH AND GOES ON A GRASS STRIP AND THEN IN HIS AMPHIBIOUS ACFT WAS MAKING A WATER LNDG WHEN THE ACFT FLIPPED OVER DUE TO THE LNDG GEAR STILL DOWN. RPTR FAULTS MANUFACTURER FOR NOT INSTALLING A LNDG GEAR WARNING.
Synopsis
RPTR PLT DID TOUCH AND GOES ON A GRASS STRIP AND THEN IN HIS AMPHIBIOUS ACFT WAS MAKING A WATER LNDG WHEN THE ACFT FLIPPED OVER DUE TO THE LNDG GEAR STILL DOWN. RPTR FAULTS MANUFACTURER FOR NOT INSTALLING A LNDG GEAR WARNING.
Narrative
I WAS FLYING A SEAREY EXPERIMENTAL AMPHIBIOUS AIRPLANE. I HAD THE LNDG GEAR EXTENDED FOR TOUCH AND GO LNDGS ON A GRASS STRIP. I DEPARTED THE GRASS STRIP AND FLEW 2 MI TO A LAKE TO PRACTICE WATER LNDGS. I FAILED TO RETRACT THE LNDG GEAR FOR THE WATER LNDG; WHICH CAUSED THE PLANE TO FLIP OVER ON ITS BACK. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE THERE IS NO AUDIO WARNING FOR LNDG GEAR BEING IN THE WRONG POS ON AN AMPHIBIOUS AIRPLANE PRIOR TO LNDG. IF A NORMAL AUDIO SIGNAL WERE INSTALLED; IT WOULD GIVE A SIGNAL IF THE LNDG GEAR IS UP; WHICH IS WHERE IT SHOULD BE FOR A WATER LNDG. IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE FOR SOMEONE TO DEVISE A LNDG GEAR POS SIGNAL WHICH COULD BE CTLED BY A SWITCH DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU ARE GOING TO DO LAND LNDGS OR WATER LNDGS. IT WOULD GIVE AN APPROPRIATE WARNING IF THE LDNG GEAR WAS IN THE WRONG POS. THERE IS NO CHKLIST PROVIDED WITH THE AIRPLANE IN THE KIT OR INSTRUCTIONS. IT SHOULD BE A REQUIREMENT FOR KIT MANUFACTURERS TO PROVIDE A CHKLIST TO BE PUT ON A PLACARD IN THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.