Seawind 3000 N57TJ

Summary

On 15 September 2023 at about 17:58 local time, a Seawind 3000 registered N57TJ was involved in an accident near Bellevue, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 September 2023 at 17:58

Classification

Accident

Location

Bellevue, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.6025, -122.0980

Aircraft

Seawind 3000

Registration

N57TJ

Category

Airplane

Year built

2012

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bellevue → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR23FA344

1 person died.

The pilot’s loss of airplane control after encountering a lake swell and skipping during takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting a personal flight in the amphibious airplane with one passenger. During the step phase of the water takeoff (when most of the seaplane’s weight is supported by lift rather than the buoyancy of the floats), the airplane impacted a lake swell, leading it to skip, then pitch up and bank to one side before impacting the water. Postaccident examination revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation, and witness accounts indicated that the engine was producing power at the time of the accident. The left forward shoulder harness inertia reel and webbing were not found during the examination and were likely not installed because photographs of previous flights showed no shoulder harness at the pilot’s seat position. This likely contributed to the severity of the pilot’s injuries. A video recording of the accident sequence was consistent with witness observations and showed calm water near the shoreline and a slow-moving lake swell in the area where the skipping occurred. Glassy water can give the impression of calm and safety, but it can also be dangerous due to a lack of visual cues and the potential for sudden changes in water conditions. It is likely that the lake swell was not aligned with the pilot’s intended direction of departure, which resulted in the skipping and loss of control during takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.