- Date
- October 25, 2007, 13:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Berryessa, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N195LSPloof Progressive Aerodyne's Searey
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20071025022979A
- Case key
- 66975
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 airplane's encounter with a submerged object during landing in water, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot conducted a normal approach in the amphibian for landing on Lake Berryessa. He configured the airplane with the landing gear up and the flaps set down 20 degrees for the water landing. While decelerating the airplane after landing, he heard a loud noise. The airplane nosed over and came to rest floating on it's back. The pilot opined the airplane impacted a submerged object, which caused the airplane to nose over. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine. The airplane sustained damage to the hull and right wing.
Factual narrative
On October 25, 2007, about 1300 Pacific daylight time, an amateur-built Ploof SeaRey, N195LS, nosed over during landing at Lake Berryessa, California. The pilot/owner was operating the experimental airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The sport pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal flight departed Yolo County Airport, Davis/Woodland/Winters, California, about 1230, with a planned destination of Lake Berryessa. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator, the pilot stated he conducted a normal approach for landing on Lake Berryessa. He configured the airplane with the landing gear up and the flaps set down 20 degrees for the water landing. While decelerating the airplane after landing, he heard a loud noise. The airplane nosed over and came to rest floating on its back. The pilot opined there was a submerged object, which caused the airplane to nose over. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine. The airplane sustained damage to the hull and right wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N195LS
- Reported as
- Ploof Progressive Aerodyne's Searey
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1MK195
- Airframe hours
- 109
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 2007
- Departed
- 2Q3 · Davis/Woodland, CA
- Destination
- NONE · Lake Berryessa, CA
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
- 67
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 400 total · 62 in this make and model · 340 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- VCB, 14 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.