- Date
- July 21, 2014, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mount Vernon, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N83007Bosco Don Searey
- Defining event
- Taxi: Dragged wing/rotor/float/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20140721011999A
- Case key
- 89708
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 failure to maintain lateral control while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was the incorrect decision to takeoff once the sponson had been damaged.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
While practicing step taxiing on the river the pilot under instruction attempted to transition from step taxi to plow taxi. During the transition the right wing dropped and contacted the water, which damaged the right sponson. The flight instructor added power and proceeded to takeoff. The airplane climbed to 10 feet above the water when it then started a slow uncontrollable turn to the right. The airplane lost altitude and impacted the water. Both pilots egressed the airplane unhurt. The airplane's hull/fuselage was substantially damaged and it took on water. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
While practicing step taxiing on the river the pilot under instruction attempted to transition from step taxi to plow taxi. During the transition the right wing dropped and contacted the water, which damaged the right sponson. The flight instructor added power and proceeded to takeoff. The airplane climbed to 10 feet above the water when it then started a slow uncontrollable turn to the right. The airplane lost altitude and impacted the water. Both pilots egressed the airplane unhurt. The airplane's hull/fuselage was substantially damaged and it took on water.The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83007
- Reported as
- Bosco Don Searey
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1DK319C
- Built
- 2004
- Airframe hours
- 169
- Engine
- Rotax 914UL, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Latourette
- Registered owner
- Latourette
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · October 2, 2013
- Departed
- KBVS · Burlington, WA
- Destination
- KBVS · Burlington, 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 800 total · 28 in this make and model
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 14, 2013
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 7,580 total · 25 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KVBS, 2 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 6, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.