Amateur-built Searey Amphibian accident near La Crosse, Wisconsin, July 23, 2001
On July 23, 2001 at about 2:23 pm local time, a amateur-built Searey Amphibian, registered N216ST, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Crosse, Wisconsin (La Crosse Municipal Airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and turbulence which resulted in the encountered stall. Factors to the accident were turbulence and the high wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 2001 · about 2:23 pm local time
- Place
- La Crosse, Wisconsin · La Crosse Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Searey Amphibian
- Registration
- N216ST · registry record · serial 1MK216
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted to land on runway 31 with high and gusting winds. According to the pilot during final approach he attempted a go-around and, "... the turbulence became extreme and I reduced power to reduce airspeed and stress on the airframe. Unfortunately, I reduced airspeed to just above stall speed and in the next gust the plane stalled." The pilot reported that the airplane landed hard and flipped over onto its back. The reported winds at the time of the accident were 290-degrees magnetic at 26 knots with gusts to 33 knots.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,270 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 26, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 21, 2000; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,628 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 914-UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LSE La Crosse WI at 1:50 pm
- Destination: La Crosee WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 26 knots, gusting 33
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,400 ft; a few clouds at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 2:23 pm from LSE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N216ST the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.