20050828020419A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr SEAWIND 3000 · Wrightsvillebea, NC · August 28, 2005

Date: August 28, 2005 · 02:15 local
Place: Wrightsvillebea, NC
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N88PS
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL05LA154
Reported as: Amtr SEAWIND3000
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,000 total130 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

N88PSRegistration cancelled May 23, 2017 · Samson Patrick SEAWIND 3000S/N 15 · Built 1997 Airframe modelSamson Patrick SEAWIND 3000 Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Aircraft had departed wilmington airport at approximately 0200 hrs., for a pleasure trip around the wrightsville beach, NC area. According to witnesses the aircraft was last seen flying low as it crossed the beach and out over the ocean. Shortly after crossing the beach, the aircraft began to make a right turn, then during the turn, the aircraft began to descend rapidly and impact the water. It was estimated that the aircraft was approximately 1 mile off shore when it impacted the water.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT HAD DEPARTED WILMINGTON AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 0200 HRS., FOR A PLEASURE TRIP AROUND THE WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC AREA. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAST SEEN FLYING LOW AS IT CROSSED THE BEACH AND OUT OVER THE OCEAN. SHORTLY AFTER CROSSING THE BEACH, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THEN DURING THE TURN, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND RAPIDLY AND IMPACT THE WATER. IT WAS ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE OFF SHORE WHEN IT IMPACTED THE WATER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL05LA154Accident · 2 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportWrightsville Bh, NCThe pilot's improper preflight decision to attempt night VFR flight into IMC, which resulted in an inflight encounter with weather and the pilot's subsequent loss of control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation.Aug 28, 2005 · Destroyed