# NTSB CEN23LA180: Searey LSX, N40SR, Pottsboro, TX, May 3, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: May 2, 2023, 19:00 local (May 3, 2023, 00:00 UTC)
- Place: Pottsboro, TX
- Coordinates: 33.843546, -96.662223 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8435&lon=-96.6622&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA - FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 127504
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA180
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/127504/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=127504
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA180

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to retract the landing gear before a water landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Purinton Michel J SEAREY LSX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=05640XO), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md)
- [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Purinton Michel J SEAREY LSX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=05640XO), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md)
- [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Purinton Michel J SEAREY LSX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=05640XO), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [Purinton Michel J SEAREY LSX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=05640XO), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Purinton Michel J SEAREY LSX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05640XO), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot of the amphibious airplane reported that during a water landing, he forgot to retract the landing gear, and the airplane touched down with the landing gear extended. The airplane subsequently nosed over and sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N40SR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N40SR-2024-08-28), registration cancelled 2024-08-28, S/N 1LK618C, built 2022 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SEAREY LSX
- Registry model: [Purinton Michel J SEAREY LSX](https://openairdocs.org/model/purinton-michel-j-searey-lsx) (registry code 05640XO) (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: 1LK618C
- Year built: 2022
- Airframe hours: 68
- Engines: Rotax 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: KGYI, Pottsboro, TX
- Equipment: Onboard weather, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 73; injuries: none; flight engineer, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed; last flight review August 15, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 30,000 total, 260 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 30° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observed at: KGYI, 8 nm away
- METAR: METAR KGYI 030015Z AUTO 03004KT 10SM CLR 24/10 A2994 RMK AO2 T02370101 TSNO=

## 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 20230502011029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230502011029A), May 2, 2023: Purinton Michel J SEAREY LSX, Pottsboro, TX, Substantial damage. Aircraft flew from kgyi to lake texoma in Pottsboro, TX. On touchdown at lake texoma the aircraft immediately flipped in the water. Pilot and passenger were…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=127504. 3.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15591542&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 383 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15591275&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.

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