20221015016149A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Balcomb Kenneth C III SEAREY · Lake Isabel, WA · October 15, 2022

Date: October 15, 2022 · 15:00 local
Place: Lake Isabel, WA
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N129KB
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR23LA019
Reported as: Balcomb Kenneth C III Searey
Reported engine: ROTAX 912ULS
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,277 total

N129KBRegistration cancelled Nov 30, 2024 · Balcomb Kenneth C III SEAREYS/N 1DK287C · Built 2006 Airframe modelBalcomb Kenneth C III SEAREY Engine modelRotax 912S series4 cycle

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.

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 rate on his VSI and the plane was unable to out-climb the descent rate. The plane impacted the water and bounced coming to a second full stop. Following the second impact the pilot motored the plane to shore and beached. The plane sustained damage to the wings, empennage, mast and sponsons. The plane is located in a lake that is only accessable by aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

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 RATE ON HIS VSI AND THE PLANE WAS UNABLE TO OUT-CLIMB THE DESCENT RATE. THE PLANE IMPACTED THE WATER AND BOUNCED COMING TO A SECOND FULL STOP. FOLLOWING THE SECOND IMPACT THE PILOT MOTORED THE PLANE TO SHORE AND BEACHED. THE PLANE SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, EMPENNAGE, MAST AND SPONSONS. THE PLANE IS LOCATED IN A LAKE THAT IS ONLY ACCESSABLE BY AIRCRAFT.

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 WPR23LA019Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportLake Isabel, WAThe pilot’s loss of airplane control after an encounter with windshear during takeoff which, resulted in a hard water landing.Oct 15, 2022 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N129KB · 1

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

Incident 20120831019569ILanding: Touchdown · Lake Whatcom, WAPilot 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…Aug 31, 2012 · Minor damage