# Accident 20230531011599A: Burton Larry A SEAREY, Catawba, NC, May 31, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 31, 2023, 16:00 local time
- Place: Catawba, NC
- Airport: Long Island Airpark
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.6753° N, 80.9717° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6753&lon=-80.9717&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2440S, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2440S) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Burton Larry A SEAREY (registry code 05605DO, https://openairdocs.org/model/burton-larry-a-searey) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (registry code 09050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BURTON LARRY A SEAREY
- Reported engine: BOMBARDIER ROTAX (ALL)
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 360 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA262) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230531011599A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT STATED HE DEPARTED FROM NC26 ON RUNWAY 05 AFTER A NORMAL ENGINE RUN UP AND MAG CHECK. HE TOOK OFF APPROXIMATELY A 1/4 OF THE WAY DOWN THE 3000 FT  RUNWAY AND CLIMBED TO 100 FT AGL.  DURING A LEFT TURN OVER LAKE NORMAN, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY CONFIRMED BOTH FUEL PUMPS WERE SELECTED ON, LEVELED THE WINGS AND PITCHED DOWN TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. HE THEN CYCLED THE THROTTLE SEVERAL TIMES IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN POWER. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND AND CONTINUED TO RUN AT A LOW POWER SETTING WITH AN EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. THE PILOT OPTED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT ON THE WATER AND ATTEMPT TO BRING THE LANDING GEAR UP PRIOR TO HITTING THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED AFLOAT AND WAS TOWED TO THE SHORE BY A NEARBY BOAT.

BEFORE THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY, THE PILOT FILLED THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANK WITH NON-ETHANOL 94 OCTANE GAS THAT HE PURCHASED ABOUT 10 DAYS PRIOR.

NO ABNORMALITIES WERE NOTED BY THE PILOT ON AN EARLIER FLIGHT THE SAME DAY FROM LAKE NORMAN AIRPARK (14A) TO NC26.

POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED A FUEL GASCOLATOR THAT WAS FULL OF WATER AND A RUST-LIKE MATERIAL.  THE ROTAX ENGINE REPRESENTATIVE BELIEVED THE FUEL CONTAMINATION WAS SUFFICENT ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE ENGINE POWER LOSS.

THE LOCATION OF THE GASCOLATOR WAS OBSCURED BY A PYLON FAIRING, NOT PLACARDED NOR IDENTIFIED IN ANY OF THE AIRCRAFT  DOCUMENTATION.

THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PIC STATED HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE GASCOLATOR AND NEVER CHECKED IT FOR THE PRESENCE OF WATER.

THE GASCOLATOR WAS NOT SERVICED DURING THE MOST RECENT CONDITION INSPECTION PERFORMED BY A CERTIFCATED MECHANIC AS HE WAS NOT AWARE IT WAS INSTALLED.

AS AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, THERE ARE NO REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PLACARDING OF FUEL SUMPS/DRAINS.

TASK #: T-EA68-FY23-1476

## 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 ERA23LA262](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA262), May 31, 2023: Burton Searey (N2440S), Sherrills Ford, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to configure the amphibious airplane’s landing gear before conducting a forced landing to a lake after a loss of engine power. Also causal was the occluded gascolator and the…

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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