Unlicensed Pilot, Unregistered LSA Seen Doing Loops

The NTSB has issued a preliminary report on the crash of an unregistered, experimental flying boat July 20 into water near Dewees Island in South Carolina. According to a report in the Mt. Pleasant Patch, passenger Carly Donahue worked with the pilot, Lucas Smith, to conduct charters using a yacht Smith bought and restored.

The paper reports Smith and Donohue had been working in the days before their death with a film crew that was documenting wildlife on Lowcountry barrier islands, and that they were taking photos in the flying boat the day they died.

The experimental aircraft was not registered, but met the limits to be flown by a Sport Pilot. Smith had no pilot certificate of any kind. Witnesses told investigators the plane was observed being flown through two consecutive inside loops at about 1,000 feet, and at the apex of the second loop, the wing folded. Rescuers arriving in boats reported both were dead when reached.

A combined memorial service was held July 27 at a restaurant on Shem Creek.

NTSB Identification: ERA11LA415
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, July 20, 2011 in Dewees Island, SC
Aircraft: Polaris Polar Star, registration: None
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On July 20, 2011, about 1815 eastern daylight time, an unregistered, experimental Polaris Polar Star flying boat incurred substantial damage when it crashed into the water near Dewees Island, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flying boat was owned and operated by the pilot, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a local personal flight. The pilot and the passenger were killed. The flight originated earlier that day, at an unspecified time and location.

Witnesses to the accident stated to the Charleston County Sheriff's Office representative that they observed the flying boat perform an aero-loop and started to perform another loop. When the flying boat was at the top of the loop, inverted, at an estimated altitude of 1,000 feet above the water, the wing folded. The flying boat dropped straight down into the shallow water. Moments later sea vessels approached the wreckage to aid the two on board; one was trapped in the wreckage and the other was located floating in the water. Both were treated by rescue personnel and taken by local authorities for medical attention.

The responding FAA inspector stated that the pilot did not hold a FAA pilot license. The pilot required, at minimal, a sport pilot license to operate the flying boat. The flying boat's specification required it to have a registration number issued by the FAA when operated.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20110723X90556&key=1