Amateur-built SEAREY accident near Tavares, Florida, February 23, 2025
On February 23, 2025 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 2010 amateur-built SEAREY, registered N40DJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Tavares, Florida (Tavares Seaplane Base airport). 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 improper flare during a bounced water landing, which resulted in a nose-down and submersion of the airplane’s open cockpit in the water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 2025 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tavares, Florida · Tavares Seaplane Base · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SEAREY, built 2010
- Registration
- N40DJ · no longer on the register · serial 2470
- 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 experimental amateur-built amphibous airplane reported that the wind was variable at 4 knots while he was attempting to land on a lake. The approach was normal; however, the airplane bounced 1 to 3 ft upon touchdown. The pilot opted not to abort the landing and recalled that when the airplane next contacted the water, the (open) cockpit was filled with water. The forward portion of the fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and that the accident could have been prevented with more training on “…the importance of keeping the nose up during water landings.”
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 250 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2024
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 914 Turbo (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNA Lantana FL at 4:00 pm
- Runway 9, 3,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from LEE, 4 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLEE 231853Z VRB04KT 10SM CLR 22/10 A3016 RMK AO2 SLP212 T02220100
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 9, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for the Record - FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 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.
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.