Probable cause
The flight instructor's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
NTSB analysis
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and the student pilot of the UC-1 Twin Bee completed one uneventful landing on a lake. The CFI then decided to practice glassy water landings with the student, and took off to land on a different lake. A witness stated that the airplane "bounced" when it first contacted the water, and the airplane's right pontoon separated from the wing when it "hit" the water on a second touchdown. The airplane then turned 180 degrees, and sank. The airplane sustained substantial damage from the accident. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The winds reported at an airport 11 miles to the southeast, at the time of the accident, were calm.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for NYC08CA241 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jul 4, 2008
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Bunnell, Florida
- Highest injury
- Minor
- Minor injuries
- 2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
UC-1 Twin Bee
- N-number
- N9509U
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.