# Accident 20070526015479A: Amtr SEAREY, Freeport, PA, May 26, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 26, 2007, 10:00 local time
- Place: Freeport, PA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.7039° N, 79.5894° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7039&lon=-79.5894&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4801W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4801W-2018-03-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Wroblewski William A SEAREY (registry code 05614T1, https://openairdocs.org/model/wroblewski-william-a-searey) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax SEE BOMBADIER (registry code 55555, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-see-bombadier) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR SEAREY
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 682 total, 65 in this make and model, 9 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC07CA127](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07CA127) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070526015479A

## Narrative

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

(-23) WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS VFR, WIND WAS CALM. N4801W IS AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AMPHIBIOUS AIRPLANE. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, BUILDER OF N4801W, STATED THAT THE APPROACH TO A DOWNSTREAM LANDING IN THE POOL BELOW LOCK AND DAM #6 IN THE ALLEGHENY RIVER WAS TO GLASSY RIVER, AND THAT HE USED THE LEFT RIVER BANK FOR DEPTH PERCEPTION. LANDING WAS TO A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY EXTREMELY RAPID PITCH ROTATION NOSE DOWN TO A VERTICAL ATTITUDE, WINDSHIELD FAILURE, IMMERSION OF COCKPIT AREA IN RIVER, AND PARTIAL SINKING OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT LANDING GEAR WAS CHECKED UP AND LOCKED BEFORE A PREVIOUS LANDING IN POOL ABOVE LOCK AND DAM #6 AND AGAIN BEFORE FINAL APROACH TO THE FINAL LANDING. THE LANDING GEAR WAS OBSERVED IN A DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION DURING MANIPULATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AS IT WAS TOWED FROM THE RIVER. A FIRST RESPONDER AND PILOT INDICATED THE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT FULLY EXTENDED IN THE WATER, BUT THAT HE HEARD AND FELT THE OVER CENTER LOCKS ENGAGE IN THE DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION AS THE TEAM WAS MANUALLY MANEUVERING THE AIRCRAFT TO EXTRICATE IT FROM THE WATER ONTO A TRAILER.

## 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 NYC07CA127](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC07CA127), May 26, 2007: Wroblewski Searey (N4801W), Freeport, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a nose over while attempting to land on a river. A factor in this accident was the glassy water landing conditions.

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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