- Date
- December 31, 1996, 10:20 local (15:20 UTC)
- Place
- Key Biscayne, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N91036Pacheco Searey
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961231040899A
- Case key
- 38197
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
failure of the pilot to retract the landing gear before landing the amphibious airplane in water. The pilot's lack of experience/certification/training in seaplanes was a possible factor.
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
After takeoff, the pilot recognized that the oil temperature was increasing. He elected to land the amphibious airplane on water, but inadvertently landed with the landing gear extended. The pilot did not hold a seaplane rating at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
On December 31, 1996, about 1020 eastern standard time, a homebuilt amphibious Searay, N91036, registered to a private individual, nosed over on landing on the Intercoastal waterway near Key Biscayne, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airline transport-rated pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The flight originated about 0930 from the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The pilot stated that after takeoff he recognized that the oil temperature was increasing. He elected to perform a precautionary landing on the water at the accident location because friends lived nearby and inadvertently landed with the landing gear extended. The airplane nosed over after touchdown. The pilot did not hold a seaplane class rating at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N91036
- Reported as
- Pacheco Searey
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1MK097
- Airframe hours
- 51
- Engine
- Rotax 912A, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Luis F. Pacheco
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 10, 1996 · 51 hours before
- Departed
- FXE · Ft Lauderdale, FL
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,501 total · 51 in this make and model · 3,751 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MIA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.