Definition
To overturn or tip over, as when a seaplane or floatplane rolls onto its side or upside down on the water, or when a small wheeled aircraft is upset by wind or rough handling on the ground.
Plain English
To tip over. The aircraft ends up on its side or upside down instead of upright.
Context Anchor
Seen in seaplane operations, water-landing discussions, and accident descriptions involving airplanes on lakes, rivers, or other water surfaces.
Derivation
From the Spanish 'capuzar', meaning to sink a ship by the head. Originally a nautical word for a boat being tipped over in the water, now applied to aircraft that operate on water or are vulnerable to being tipped on the ground.
Why Pilots Care
A capsized seaplane can fill with water, trap occupants, or sink quickly, creating an immediate survival situation.
Grounding Statement
Picture a float-equipped airplane on a lake: if one side digs into the water and the airplane rolls over, it has capsized.
Intuition Check
Do not think of capsize as only a boating word. In aviation, it can describe an aircraft overturning, especially during operations on water.
Example Sentence 1
The floatplane began to capsize when a gust caught the upwind wing during docking.
Example Sentence 2
The pilot practiced capsize recovery drills so the aircraft could be righted after an accidental rollover on the water.