American Longevity CORP SEAREY accident near Littleton, North Carolina, April 19, 2009
On April 19, 2009 at about 2:12 pm local time, a American Longevity CORP SEAREY, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N915TR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Littleton, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to ensure the landing gear was properly configured for the water landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 2009 · about 2:12 pm local time
- Place
- Littleton, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Longevity CORP SEAREY, amateur-built
- Registration
- N915TR · no longer on the register · serial 1 DK 313 C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amphibian pilot departed from a paved runway, and planned a water landing on a lake near a small island. At touchdown, the airplane nearly nosed over, but came to rest upright, though it ultimately sank. The forward section of the hull, wing struts, wing structure, and landing gear all sustained damage during the accident sequence. The pilot later stated that he failed to raise the landing gear after his initial departure from the runway, and that he never used the landing checklist onboard the airplane during the flight.
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
- Landing gear not configured during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, sport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: sport pilot; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,200 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 9,100 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 16, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 120 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 6, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 914 UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RZZ Halifax NC at 1:15 pm
- Destination: NONE Littleton NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from RZZ, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.