Summary
On March 04, 2013, a Weston SEA-ERA (N226SE) was involved in an accident near Bellevue, WA. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot’s failure to maintain control during takeoff on choppy water conditions.
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.
This accident is documented in NTSB report WPR13CA140. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N226SE.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s failure to maintain control during takeoff on choppy water conditions.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
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