Amateur-built SEA REY accident near Winter Haven, Florida, August 2, 2010
On August 2, 2010 at about 3:15 pm local time, a amateur-built SEA REY, registered N914SR, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Winter Haven, Florida (Jack Brown Seaplane Base airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed on approach for landing, resulting in an inadvertent stall/spin and collision with water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 2010 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Winter Haven, Florida · Jack Brown Seaplane Base · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SEA REY
- Registration
- N914SR · registry record · serial 1DK160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness observed the seaplane during the initial climbout from a lake with a high angle of attack. After barely clearing trees, it made a left climbing turn and appeared to join the base leg of the traffic pattern for either the runway or the lake. The seaplane made a steep left turn and entered a left spin, impacting the lake in a nose-down attitude. A review of the of the seaplane’s performance specifications indicated that the seaplane would stall at 38 mph in the accident configuration. A postaccident examination of airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories revealed no anomalies. There were additionally no mechanical or electrical problems noted with the engine during an engine run and examination.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Training › (general) › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 185 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 7, 2009; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 914 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F57 Winter Haven FL at 3:13 pm
- Destination: F57 Winter Haven FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from LAL, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ERA10LA391.