N226SE

Substantial
Minor

WESTON SEA-ERAS/N: 001

Accident Details

Date
Monday, March 4, 2013
NTSB Number
WPR13CA140
Location
Bellevue, WA
Event ID
20130307X45054
Coordinates
47.575279, -122.092224
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain control during takeoff on choppy water conditions.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N226SE
Make
WESTON
Serial Number
001
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Model / ICAO
SEA-ERASBM3
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
WESTON PAUL H
Address
7950 WILLOWS RD NE # 409
Status
Deregistered
City
REDMOND
State / Zip Code
WA 98052-6813
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot reported that during takeoff from a lake, the airplane started to bounce from wave to wave and eventually developed into a porpoise. As power was reduced to abort the takeoff, the left wing tip ski struck a wave and the airplane yawed to the left. The right wing then struck the water and the airplane came to an abrupt stop. The fuselage and wing spars were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that the wind on the lake at the time of the accident was about 18 knots and the waves were about 12-15 inches high. The pilot reported that prior to this; the largest waves the airplane has encountered were 10-12 inches high. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR13CA140