# Accident 20200817013199A: Sea & Air Sales LLC SEAREY, League City, TX, August 17, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 17, 2020, 17:30 local time
- Place: League City, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.5503° N, 95.0422° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5503&lon=-95.0422&mi=10
- Aircraft: N502BK, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N502BK) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Sea & Air Sales SEAREY (registry code 05622GW, https://openairdocs.org/model/sea-air-sales-searey) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 912ULS series (registry code 55572, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SEA & AIR SALES LLC SEAREY
- Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,586 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN20CA348](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA348) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200817013199A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LA PORTE, TEXAS, AIRPORT AND, AFTER A UNEVENTFUL FLIGHT TO THE CLEARLAKE AREA OF HOUSTON, EXECUTED A SUCCESSFUL WATER LANDING WITH A SHORT SUBSEQUENT WATER TAXI.

THE PIC APPLIED POWER FOR TAKEOFF AND THEN EXPERIENCED SURFACE VESSEL WAKE / SWELL TURBULENCE. HAVING INSUFFICIENT SPEED OR POWER TO COUNTERACT THE PHYSICAL FORCES OF THE WAKES, THE WATER FORCES HEAVILY DAMAGED THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING IT TO SINK.

## 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 CEN20CA348](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA348), Aug 17, 2020: Progressive Aerodyne Searey (N502BK), League City, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during a water takeoff after an encounter with the wake from a boat.

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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