- Date
- July 7, 2015, 16:45 local (Jul 8, 2015, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Elfin Cove, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N543SRProgressive Aerodyne Searey LSA
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 8, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20150707015029A
- Case key
- 91524
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a boat while landing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was landing an amphibious, light sport airplane, in the ocean waters of an inland cove. He stated that after returning from a local area flight he attempted to land in a more open landing area, but was unable to due to large ocean swells. Considering increasingly poor weather conditions and low fuel, he decided to land in a smaller cove that contained fishing boats. He stated that while landing he misjudged the clearance from one of the boats, and the right wing subsequently struck a trolling pole, which pivoted the airplane to the right. As a result, the right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was landing an amphibious, light sport airplane, in the ocean waters of an inland cove. He stated that after returning from a local area flight, he attempted to land in a more open landing area, but was unable to due to large ocean swells. Considering increasingly poor weather conditions and low fuel, he decided to land in a smaller cove that contained fishing boats. He stated that while landing he misjudged the clearance from one of the boats, and the right wing subsequently struck a trolling pole, which pivoted the airplane to the right. As a result, the right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N543SR
- Reported as
- Progressive Aerodyne Searey LSA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1013
- Built
- 2014
- Airframe hours
- 204
- Engine
- Rotex 914UL, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Morris Keeney
- Registered owner
- E.C. Investments
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 8, 2014
- Departed
- ELV · Elfin Cove, AK
- Destination
- ELV · Elfin Cove, AK
- Airport
- ELV · Elfin Cove
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 3, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 5,026.8 total · 238.3 in this make and model · 4,873.5 as pilot in command · 141.8 in the last 90 days · 10.3 in the last 30 days · 1.3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- ELV
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 22, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 704 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.