- Date
- May 24, 2026, 11:50 local (16:50 UTC)
- Place
- Briarcliff, TX · Accident site
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N379GGGuenther Glen A Searey LSX
- Defining event
- Landing: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 20, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA San Antonio FSDO
- FAA report
- 20260524008229A
- Case key
- 203048
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 sufficient altitude and aircraft control during the base to final turn, which resulted in the airplane impacting the water. Contributing to the accident was reported downdraft wind conditions.
Findings · 3
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 while turning from base to final for landing on a lake, the airplane encountered a strong downdraft. The airplane descended below the intended flight path and impacted the water with the left wing low. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he should have maintained a higher altitude and flown a wider base to final turn to provide a greater margin in the event of encountering a downdraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N379GG
- Reported as
- Guenther Glen A Searey LSX (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1LK553C
- Built
- 2020
- Airframe hours
- 103.5
- Engine
- Rotax Aircraft Engines 914ULS, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Amphibious Adventures LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 12, 2025
- Departed
- 88R · Spicewood, TX
- Airport
- 88R · Spicewood Airport
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather
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
- 40
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 30, 2025
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,096 total · 205 in this make and model · 2,079 as pilot in command · 89 in the last 90 days · 29 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KRYW, 8 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KRYW 241655Z AUTO 17004KT 10SM CLR 27/19 A3006 RMK AO2 T02720190
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.1 MB 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.