# NTSB ERA24LA155: South Central Searey, N912GB, Knoxville, TN, March 25, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: March 25, 2024, 19:49 local (23:49 UTC) - Place: Knoxville, TN · water - Coordinates: 35.963833, -83.873667 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9638&lon=-83.8737&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 193988 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA155 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193988/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193988 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA155 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to retract the landing gear of the amphibious airplane prior to a water landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [South Central SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=05606HM), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [South Central SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=05606HM), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/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: [South Central SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=05606HM), [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-flare/touchdown: Landing gear not configured](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095) (defining event); cases with it: [South Central SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=05606HM), [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: [South Central SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05606HM), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the amphibious airplane intended to practice water and touch-and-go landings at his home airport and the river that surrounded it. While maneuvering for a water landing, the pilot did not verify the airplane’s landing gear position and landed on the water with the landing gear extended. The airplane nosed over, sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N912GB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N912GB), registered now, S/N 1MK151 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SOUTH CENTRAL AVIATION SEAREY - Registry model: [South Central SEAREY](https://openairdocs.org/model/south-central-searey) (registry code 05606HM) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1MK151 - Year built: 1997 - Airframe hours: 492 - Engines: Rotax 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, November 27, 2023, 58 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: DKX, Knoxville Downtown Island, runway 08, water - Equipment: ADS-B, Airframe parachute, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: sport pilot; last flight review October 22, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 947 total, 185 in this make and model, 793 as pilot in command, 29 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: DKX - METAR: KDKX 252335Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 14/02 A2995 RMK A01 ## 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 20240325003039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240325003039A), Mar 25, 2024: South Central Aviation SEAREY, Knoxville, TN, Substantial damage. From subject statement "Departed 08, announcing on CTAF that I was staying in the pattern. With the relatively light winds, the aircraft climbed very well and… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193988. 409 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 7 pages, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16948223&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20N912GB_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 77 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16947549&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20Michael%20Williams-Rel.pdf - Video file (item 3, AVI, 404 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16947786&FileExtension=avi&FileName=Plane%20Crash%203-25-24-Rel.avi - Photo array (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16947963&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. --- 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.