# NTSB FTW95LA027: Gardner SEA REY, N703SR, Hartman, AR, October 23, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 23, 1994, 17:15 local (22:15 UTC) - Place: Hartman, AR - Coordinates: 35.430793, -93.610427 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4308&lon=-93.6104&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 5, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 19290 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW95LA027 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/19290/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW95LA027 ## Probable cause FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW THE LANDING CHECKLIST AND RETRACT THE LANDING GEAR FOR A WATER LANDING. ## Analysis AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A ROAD, THE GEAR WAS NOT RETRACTED. THE NEXT LANDING WAS ON A RIVER. THE PILOT CIRCLED THE AREA TO CHECK FOR OBSTRUCTIONS, AND DID NOT RETRACT THE GEAR FOR THE LANDING. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE NOSED DOWN AND CAME TO REST WITH THE TAIL AND AFT MOUNTED ENGINE OUT OF THE WATER. THE COCKPIT INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS 'DESTROYED AND THE SWITCHES FOR ENGINE SHUTDOWN COULD NOT BE LOCATED' WITH THE CABIN SUBMERGED. THE PASSENGER AND PILOT EXITED FROM THE AIRPLANE. AS THE PASSENGER EXITED, HE WAS STRUCK BY THE OPERATING PROPELLER. IN AN ACCIDENT REPORT, THE PILOT INDICATED THAT 'MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF LANDING CHECKLIST' MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THE ACCIDENT. ## Factual narrative On October 23, 1994, at 1715 central daylight time, a Gardner Sea Rey, N703SR, was substantially damaged while landing near Hartman, Arkansas. The commercial pilot was not injured. The passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personnel cross country flight. During a telephone interview the pilot reported the following information. The airplane was built by the pilot and certificated in the experimental category in 1993. It was capable of land or water landings. At 1545 the flight departed a private grass airstrip near Lavaca, Arkansas. During the flight, landings were performed on and off the water. Following takeoff from a road, the gear was not retracted. The next landing was on the Arkansas River near an island beach approximately 4 miles south of Hartman, Arkansas. The pilot circled the area in order to check for obstructions and "may not have retracted the the gear" for the landing. Touchdown airspeed was 50 to 60 mph. The airplane "decelerated to 0 knots within about one second as the nose came down and the airplane submarined." Subsequently the airplane stopped with the "nose 45 degrees down, and the tail and aft mounted engine in the air." The cockpit instrument panel was "destroyed and the switches for engine shutdown could not be located" in the submerged environment. With the cabin submerged, the pilot and passenger exited the airplane. The passenger was struck by the operating propeller. A fishing boat rescued the pilot and passenger. No mechanical malfunctions were reported. In the enclosed pilot report under "recommendations" he indicated "more effective use of landing checklist." ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Wheels down landing in water, landing - flare/touchdown - checklist - not followed, pilot in command (cause) - gear retraction - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - Nose down, landing - Propeller/rotor contact to person, standing - engine(s) operating - unsafe/hazardous condition - not identified, passenger ## Aircraft - Registration: [N703SR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N703SR-2013-06-05), registration cancelled 2013-06-05, S/N DK004, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: GARDNER SEA REY - Registry model: [Gardner Jerry D AMPHIBIAN](https://openairdocs.org/model/gardner-jerry-d-amphibian) (registry code 05623UP) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: DK 004 - Airframe hours: 120 - Engines: ROTAX 912LC 80 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Gardner, Jerry D. - Registered owner: Sierra Hotel, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, April 1, 1994, 90 hours before - Departed: LAVACA, AR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; commercial, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,446 total, 120 in this make and model, 1,357 as pilot in command, 36 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## 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 19941023035299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941023035299A), Oct 23, 1994: Amtr AMPHIBIAN, Hartman, AR, Substantial damage. Water landing amphibious gear down. Nosed over. Exiting passenger struck by rotating prop. Pilot unable find switch ## Other investigations on N703SR (1) 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. - [NTSB CHI93LA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI93LA295), Jul 31, 1993: Gardner SEA RAY (N703SR), Oshkosh, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S NOT MAINTAINING PROPER CLIMB RATE. A FACTOR WAS THE ABRUPT CONTROL INTERFERENCE BY THE PASSENGER. 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.