Amateur-built Sea Rey accident near Tomah, Wisconsin, July 5, 2003
On July 5, 2003 at about 2:12 pm local time, a amateur-built Sea Rey, registered N216ST, was destroyed in an accident near Tomah, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for an undetermined reason, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in a stall/spin during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2003 · about 2:12 pm local time
- Place
- Tomah, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Sea Rey
- Registration
- N216ST · registry record · serial 1MK216
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed and both occupants fatally injured during a forced landing attempt to a field. A witness reported that the airplane appeared to be having engine problems prior to the accident. Other witnesses described the airplane spinning to the ground. Control system continuity was verified during the postaccident examination. Examination of the engine revealed no fuel present in the carburetors, or intake manifold. There was a tear found in the fuel pressure regulator diaphragm. However, according to an engine manufacturer's representative, a tear in the fuel pressure regulator diaphragm would result in excess fuel being pumped by the fuel pumps directly into the intake manifold of the engine.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 756 hours in all
- Last flight review: January 22, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 100.2 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 27, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Bombardier 914 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y72 Tomah WI
- Destination: LSE La Crosse WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from CMY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.