Amateur-built SEA REY accident near Hartman, Arkansas, October 23, 1994
On October 23, 1994 at about 10:15 pm local time, a amateur-built SEA REY, registered N703SR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hartman, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW THE LANDING CHECKLIST AND RETRACT THE LANDING GEAR FOR A WATER LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1994 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hartman, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SEA REY
- Registration
- N703SR · registry record · serial DK 004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A ROAD, THE GEAR WAS NOT RETRACTED. THE NEXT LANDING WAS ON A RIVER. THE PILOT CIRCLED THE AREA TO CHECK FOR OBSTRUCTIONS, AND DID NOT RETRACT THE GEAR FOR THE LANDING. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE NOSED DOWN AND CAME TO REST WITH THE TAIL AND AFT MOUNTED ENGINE OUT OF THE WATER. THE COCKPIT INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS 'DESTROYED AND THE SWITCHES FOR ENGINE SHUTDOWN COULD NOT BE LOCATED' WITH THE CABIN SUBMERGED. THE PASSENGER AND PILOT EXITED FROM THE AIRPLANE. AS THE PASSENGER EXITED, HE WAS STRUCK BY THE OPERATING PROPELLER. IN AN ACCIDENT REPORT, THE PILOT INDICATED THAT 'MORE EFFECTIVE USE OF LANDING CHECKLIST' MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THE ACCIDENT.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,446 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,357 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 120 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1994; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912LC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lavaca AR at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N703SR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 FTW95LA027.