- Date
- May 31, 1982, 10:35 local (18:35 UTC)
- Place
- Sequim Bay, WA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N15DKStarduster TOO SA300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 31, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820531019559A
- Case key
- 72598
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
While flying over a lake at low altitude, the left wing of the aircraft struck wires on a moored sailboat about 50 ft above the water level. Three witnesses report that just prior to the collision, the pilot dipped or wagged his wings and waved at them. After striking the sailboat, the aircraft crashed in the water and sank. An investigation revealed that the pilot had no FAA medical or pilot certificate.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N15DK
- Reported as
- Starduster TOO SA300
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1DD
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 265 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Gene Adams
- Registered owner
- Gene Adams
- Departed
- Sequim Bay, WA
- Destination
- Sequim Bay, WA
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
- 54
- Medical
- Unknown
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.