# Accident 19971226039399A: Amtr SEARAY, Gloucester, VA, December 26, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 26, 1997, 14:15 local time
- Place: Gloucester, VA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.4300° N, 76.5397° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4300&lon=-76.5397&mi=10
- Aircraft: N100RZ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N100RZ-2000-08-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Mayers Jerry SEA REY (registry code 05602NU, https://openairdocs.org/model/mayers-jerry-sea-rey) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR SEARAY
- Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX912
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 235 total, 165 in this make and model, 9 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC98LA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA054) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971226039399A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER AND SANK IN RIVER AFTER STRIKING AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT IN RIVER. PILOT WAS NOT SEAPLANE RATED. (.19) ON DECEMBER 26, 1997, ABOUT 1415 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, N100RZ, A HOMEBUILT SEA REY AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED WATER NEAR GLOUCESTER, VIRGINIA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED WEST POINT, VIRGINIA, AND WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS DOING THE LAST OF 6 TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS ON THE RIVER WHEN HE STRUCK AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT.  THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER, AND SUBMERGED IN THE WATER.  THE PILOT ESCAPED FROM THE AIRPLANE AND SWAM ASHORE.  ACCORDING TO FAA RECORDS, THE PILOT WAS NOT SEAPLANE RATED. (.4) THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A TOUCH-AND-GO LANDING ON A RIVER WHEN THE EXPERIMENTALLY CERTIFICATED, AMPHIBIOUS AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.  THE NEXT THING THE PILOT KNEW HE WAS HANGING UPSIDE DOWN IN THE WATER.  HE EXITED THE AIRPLANE, AND STOOD ON THE WING WAITING FOR HELP.  BEFORE HE COULD BE RESCUED THE AIRPLANE SANK, AND THE PILOT SWAM ASHORE.  THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS.  THE PILOT  DID NOT HAVE A SINGLE ENGINE SEA RATING. FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS EXEMPT PILOTS OF EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF POSSESSING A RATING IN THE CATEGORY OF AIRCRAFT THEY ARE OPERATING.                       (-23) PILOT WAS DOING TOUCH AND GO'S IN THE WATER AND ON THE LAST ONE, STRUCK AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT.  THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AND SUBMERGED.  THE PILOT SWAM ASHORE.  NO INJURIES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC98LA054](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA054), Dec 26, 1997: Mayers SEA REY (N100RZ), Gloucester, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing, which resulted in a nose over.

## Other reports on N100RZ (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19990522023889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990522023889A), May 22, 1999: Amtr SEAREY (N100RZ), Ashland, VA, Destroyed. (.19) On may 22, 1999, at 1412 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt sea rey, N100RZ, was destroyed during collision with trees after takeoff from Mayers…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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