South Central Aviation SEAREY accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, March 25, 2024
On March 25, 2024 at about 11:49 pm local time, a 1997 South Central Aviation SEAREY, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N912GB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Knoxville, Tennessee (Knoxville Downtown Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to retract the landing gear of the amphibious airplane prior to a water landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 2024 · about 11:49 pm local time · cases in 2024
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Knoxville Downtown Island · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- South Central Aviation SEAREY, built 1997, amateur-built
- Registration
- N912GB · registry record · serial 1MK151
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the amphibious airplane intended to practice water and touch-and-go landings at his home airport and the river that surrounded it. While maneuvering for a water landing, the pilot did not verify the airplane’s landing gear position and landed on the water with the landing gear extended. The airplane nosed over, sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated other cases naming the landing gear
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 947 hours in all; 185 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 793 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 22, 2023
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 492 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 27, 2023; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 492 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 7:35 pm from DKX
Weather report (METAR): KDKX 252335Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 14/02 A2995 RMK A01
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – View of Airplane as Found (FAA)
Photo 2 – View of Structural Damage to Hull and Center Beam above Cockpit (FAA)The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on October 22, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Video File | AVI file | Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N912GB on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS 62 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Knoxville Downtown Island Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Tennessee 1,198 since 1982 · 231 in the last ten years
- Tennessee 6,535 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA24LA155.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.