# NTSB CEN20CA348: Progressive Aerodyne Searey, N502BK, League City, TX, August 17, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 17, 2020, 18:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: League City, TX - Coordinates: 29.550277, -95.042221 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5503&lon=-95.0422&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Houston FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101817 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA348 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101817/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101817 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA348 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during a water takeoff after an encounter with the wake from a boat. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: choppy surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023030): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Sea & Air Sales SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023030/cases.md?model=05622GW), [All aircraft, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023030/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Sea & Air Sales SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05622GW), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: choppy surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023030): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Sea & Air Sales SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023030/cases.md?model=05622GW), [All aircraft, 20 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900) (defining event); cases with it: [Sea & Air Sales SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=05622GW), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Sea & Air Sales SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=05622GW), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the amphibious airplane reported that he had made a landing on the lake surface and then performed a step-taxi into the wind. He then applied full power to takeoff and the airplane hit a wave from a passing boat. When the airplane struck the second wave from the boat, the front of the airplane went under water. The nose of the airplane was ripped off. With the engine still running, the airplane nosed over and filled with water. In his report the pilot noted that he had not set the airplane's trim properly and he failed to apply back pressure on the controls when he hit the boat wake. He also noted that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N502BK](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N502BK), registered now, S/N 1DK247, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Progressive Aerodyne SEAREY (No Series) - Registry model: [Sea & Air Sales SEAREY](https://openairdocs.org/model/sea-air-sales-searey) (registry code 05622GW) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 912ULS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-912uls-series) (registry code 55572, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1DK247 - Year built: 2007 - Airframe hours: 494 - Engines: ROTAX 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, June 16, 2020, 18 hours before - Departed: League City, TX - Destination: T41, La Porte, TX - Equipment: Handheld GPS, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; private, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: sport pilot, unknown; last flight review January 26, 2019; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,591 total, 24 in this make and model, 2,403 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 84 °F - Observed at: T41 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200817013199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200817013199A), Aug 17, 2020: Sea & Air Sales LLC SEAREY, League City, TX, Substantial damage. 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… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101817. 2.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10914108&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 393 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=10935386&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%201-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.