Summary
On September 22, 2015, a Brunzlick Larry R SEAWIND 3000 EXPERIM (N896CB) was involved in an incident near Pelican Lake, WI. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: Abnormal runway contact which precipitated a loss of directional control and impact with water.
The pilot reported that he was practicing landings on a lake in his experimental amateur-built amphibious airplane. During the accident landing, he reported that the airplane "skipped slightly about 2 feet off the water, I held attitude and let it come down again but I accidentally let the left wing tip sponson settle onto the water while still going at about 55 knots." The airplane started to turn to the left, the sponson dug in more, and he reported that he did not correct the situation quickly enough. The airplane turned 180 degrees before coming to rest.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA15CA279. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N896CB.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
Abnormal runway contact which precipitated a loss of directional control and impact with water.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was practicing landings on a lake in his experimental amateur-built amphibious airplane. During the accident landing, he reported that the airplane "skipped slightly about 2 feet off the water, I held attitude and let it come down again but I accidentally let the left wing tip sponson settle onto the water while still going at about 55 knots." The airplane started to turn to the left, the sponson dug in more, and he reported that he did not correct the situation quickly enough. The airplane turned 180 degrees before coming to rest. Once the airplane was towed to shore, substantial damage was noticed to both wing sponsons and the rudder.
The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA15CA279