# Accident 20150707015029A: Progressive Aerodyne Inc SEAREY LSA, Elfin Cove, AK, July 7, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 7, 2015, 16:40 local time
- Place: Elfin Cove, AK
- Airport: Elfin Cove Seaplane Base
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 58.1950° N, 136.3472° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.1950&lon=-136.3472&mi=10
- Aircraft: N543SR, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N543SR) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Progressive Aerodyne SEAREY LSA (registry code 060009O, https://openairdocs.org/model/progressive-aerodyne-searey-lsa) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 914UL (registry code 55553, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-914ul) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PROGRESSIVE AERODYNE INC SEAREY LSA
- Reported engine: ROTAX 914UL
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 5,023 total, 237 in this make and model, 155 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC15CA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15CA047) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150707015029A

## Narrative

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

SEAPLANE SEAREY N543SR DEPARTED ELFIN COVE, AK ON JULY 8TH 2015 AT 1630 LOCAL.  HE HAD ONE PASSENGERS ON BOARD FOR A ONE HOUR 14 CFR PART 91 LOCAL FLIGHT.

IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT THE PILOT SAID THE WEATHER AT DEPARTURE TIME WAS CLEAR  WITH LITTLE OR NO SWELL. OTHER WITNESSES AT THE TIME STATED THAT THERE WERE SMALL AREAS OF FOG.  UPON RETURN FROM THE FLIGHT THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE WIND HAD BLOWN A SMALL FOG BANK TOWARDS THE NORMAL SEAPLANE LANDING AREA.  THE PILOT APPEARED TO MAKE FOUR OR FIVE SEPARATE LANDING ATTEMPTS IN THE NORMAL SEAPLANE LANDING ZONE OR WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS THE OUTER HARBOR.  THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT THE WATER CONDITIONS HAD WORSENED TO THE POINT THAT IT WAS THEN UNSAFE TO LAND IN THE NORMAL LANDING ZONE.

THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN THE INNER HARBOR CUT OR SLOUGH, A VERY NARROW CHANNEL THAT IS USED BY BOATS AND OTHER MARINE TRAFFIC AND KAYAKERS TO ENTER AND EXIT THE INNER HARBOR AREA.

THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN LONG AND HARD AND THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN JUST AS ITS RIGHT WING IMPACTED THE STERN OF A FISHING VESSEL THAT WAS PARKED AT A PRIVATE DOCK IN THE INNER HARBOR JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THE ATTEMPTED LANDING SPOT. THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING TIP HIT THE BACK MOUNTED TROLLING POLE ON THE BOAT AND TORE OFF THE END OF THE WING. THE AIRCRAFT SPUN ABOUT 180 DEGREES AND SETTLED BACK INTO THE WATER.

THERE WAS  VERY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FISHING BOAT WITH AIRCRAFT WING PIECES SPREAD AROUND THE STERN OF THE BOAT.

AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE PILOT TAXIED TO HIS PRIVATE FLOAT IN THE INNER HARBOR AND TIED UP THE AIRCRAFT.

THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO EITHER THE AIRCRAFT PILOT, PASSENGER OR PERSONS ON THE GROUND.

## 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 ANC15CA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15CA047), Jul 8, 2015: Progressive Aerodyne Searey LSA (N543SR), Elfin Cove, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a boat while landing.

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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