# NTSB NYC08CA285: Haines Searey, N204PB, Sunapee, NH, August 21, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 21, 2008, 12:50 local (16:50 UTC) - Place: Sunapee, NH - Coordinates: 43.384998, -72.080001 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3850&lon=-72.0800&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: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report January 22, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 68765 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC08CA285 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68765/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08CA285 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to ensure that the landing gear was retracted for the water landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: gear extension and retract sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Haines John E SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md?model=05612L7), [All aircraft, 416 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023230/cases.md) - [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Haines John E SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=05612L7), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/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: [Haines John E SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md?model=05612L7), [All aircraft, 584 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/095/sequence.md) ## Analysis The non-certificated pilot departed a hard-surfaced runway for a flight to, and landing on, a lake approximately 10 miles away. According to the pilot, about 10 minutes into the flight he cycled the landing gear to the retracted position. He then observed that the wing flap position differed from that displayed on the cockpit indicator. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for landing, he deployed the flaps to an estimated position of 10 degrees, and on the base leg, he attempted to position them to the landing setting of 20 degrees. When the airplane touched down on the lake, it stopped abruptly, and partially submerged. The impact resulted in a serious injury to the pilot, and substantial damage to the airplane. According to the pilot, he did not realize that the landing gear was extended for the water landing, and he did not select or command the extended position. Postaccident information provided by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the landing gear was in the extended and locked position, and the landing gear controls were in the corresponding position. According to the designer of the airplane, two separate controls must both be activated to extend or retract the landing gear; no single action can cause the landing gear to extend, and the gear cannot free-fall to the extended and locked position. ## Factual narrative The non-certificated pilot of the amateur-built amphibious SeaRey departed a hard-surfaced runway for a flight to, and landing on, a lake approximately 10 miles away. According to the pilot, about 10 minutes into the flight, he cycled the landing gear to the retracted position. He then observed that the wing flap position differed from that displayed on the cockpit indicator. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for landing, he deployed the flaps to an estimated position of 10 degrees, and on the base leg, he attempted to position them to the landing setting of 20 degrees. When the airplane touched down on the lake, it stopped abruptly, and partially submerged. The impact resulted in a serious injury to the pilot, and substantial damage to the airplane. According to the pilot, he did not realize that the landing gear was extended for the water landing, and he did not select or command the extended position. Post accident information provided by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the landing gear was in the extended and locked position, and the landing gear controls were in the corresponding position. According to the designer of the airplane, two separate controls must both be activated to extend or retract the landing gear, no single action can cause the landing gear to extend, and the gear cannot free-fall to the extended and locked position. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N204PB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N204PB), registered now, S/N 211 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Haines Searey - Registry model: [Haines John E SEAREY](https://openairdocs.org/model/haines-john-e-searey) (registry code 05612L7) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 211 - Engines: Rotax 912 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: 2B3, Newport, NH - Destination: NONE, Sunapee, NH - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: NONE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: serious ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 90° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.28 inHg - Observed at: VSF, 20 nm away 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.