# Incident 20120831019569I: Balcomb Kenneth C III SEAREY, Lake Whatcom, WA, August 31, 2012

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 31, 2012, 17:30 local time
- Place: Lake Whatcom, WA
- Airport: Becker Landing
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft: N129KB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N129KB-2024-11-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Balcomb Kenneth C III SEAREY (registry code 05621Z1, https://openairdocs.org/model/balcomb-kenneth-c-iii-searey) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912S series (registry code 55570, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912s-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BALCOMB KENNETH C III SEAREY
- Reported engine: ROTAX 912S
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 7,300 total, 30 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120831019569I

## Narrative

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

PILOT FLYING STATED HE WAS LOOKING INSIDE AT THE VSI IN ANTICIPATION OF LEARNING THE TECHNIQUE FOR GLASSY WATER LANDINGS. PILOT FLYING WAS NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO AIRSPEED AND WAS LATE IN ADDING POWER TO RECOVER IN TIME. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND ENTERED THE WATER NOSE LOW, WHICH CAUSED THE WATER TO ENTER THE COCKPIT AND FLOOD THE AIRCRAFT.  INSTRUCTOR PILOT FAILED TO RECOGNIZE OR TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION  TO AVIOD THE LOW AIRSPEED CONDITION.

## Other reports on N129KB (1)

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

- [Accident 20221015016149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221015016149A), Oct 15, 2022: Balcomb Kenneth C III SEAREY (N129KB), Lake Isabel, WA, Substantial damage. Wind shear/downdraft on takeoff from Lake Isabel, WA, October 17, 2022. This caused the plane to crash back into the lake. The pilot noted a 600 fpm descent…

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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