Progressive Aerodyne INC SEAREY LSA accident near Elfin Cove, Alaska, July 8, 2015
On July 8, 2015, a 2014 Progressive Aerodyne INC SEAREY LSA, registered N543SR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Elfin Cove, Alaska (Elfin Cove airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a boat while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2015
- Place
- Elfin Cove, Alaska · Elfin Cove · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Progressive Aerodyne INC SEAREY LSA, built 2014 · all SEAREY LSAs on the register
- Registration
- N543SR · registry record · serial 1013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was landing an amphibious, light sport airplane, in the ocean waters of an inland cove. He stated that after returning from a local area flight he attempted to land in a more open landing area, but was unable to due to large ocean swells. Considering increasingly poor weather conditions and low fuel, he decided to land in a smaller cove that contained fishing boats. He stated that while landing he misjudged the clearance from one of the boats, and the right wing subsequently struck a trolling pole, which pivoted the airplane to the right. As a result, the right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,026.8 hours in all; 238.3 in this make and model; 141.8 in the last 90 days; 10.3 in the last 30 days; 4,873.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 3, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 204 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotex 914UL (piston); 204 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELV Elfin Cove AK
- Destination: ELV Elfin Cove AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from ELV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC15CA047.