- Date
- May 26, 2007, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Freeport, PA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4801WWroblewski Searey
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070526015479A
- Case key
- 65861
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 improper flare, which resulted in a nose over while attempting to land on a river. A factor in this accident was the glassy water landing conditions.
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 of the homebuilt Searey amphibious airplane had completed one uneventful landing on a river. The pilot stated that during his second landing, because of the glassy water conditions, he stayed close to the shoreline to better judge the water elevation, and utilized glassy water landing techniques. He further stated that he did not manipulate the landing gear handle after the first landing, and verified that the gear was up prior to the second landing. During touchdown, the airplane nosed over, and partially sank. The windshield fractured, and the airframe was substantially damaged. Examination of the airplane, which included the landing gear system, did not reveal any pre-impact failures. The pilot reported 689 hours of total flight experience, which included 65 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the homebuilt Searey amphibious airplane had completed one uneventful landing on a river. The pilot stated that during his second landing, because of the glassy water conditions, he stayed close to the shoreline to better judge the water elevation, and utilized glassy water landing techniques. He further stated that he did not manipulate the landing gear handle after the first landing, and verified that the gear was up prior to the second landing. During touchdown, the airplane nosed over, and partially sank. The windshield fractured, and the airframe was substantially damaged. The landing gear was observed partially extended by recovery personnel; however, examination of the airplane, which included the landing gear system, did not reveal any pre-impact failures. The pilot reported 689 hours of total flight experience, which included 65 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4801W
- Reported as
- Wroblewski Searey
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1DK248
- Airframe hours
- 58
- Engine
- Rotax 912A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William A. Wroblewski
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · November 1, 2006
- Departed
- P37 · Freeport, PA
- Destination
- P37 · Freeport, PA
- Airport
- NONE · Allegheny River
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
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 689 total · 65 in this make and model · 609 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
- Observed at
- BTP, 20 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.