Amateur-built SEAWIND 3000 EXPERIM accident near Pelican Lake, Wisconsin, September 22, 2015
On September 22, 2015 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built SEAWIND 3000 EXPERIM, registered N896CB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Pelican Lake, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Abnormal runway contact which precipitated a loss of directional control and impact with water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2015 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pelican Lake, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SEAWIND 3000 EXPERIM NO SERIES, built 2012
- Registration
- N896CB · registry record · serial 093
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was practicing landings on a lake in his experimental amateur-built amphibious airplane. During the accident landing, he reported that the airplane "skipped slightly about 2 feet off the water, I held attitude and let it come down again but I accidentally let the left wing tip sponson settle onto the water while still going at about 55 knots." The airplane started to turn to the left, the sponson dug in more, and he reported that he did not correct the situation quickly enough. The airplane turned 180 degrees before coming to rest. Once the airplane was towed to shore, substantial damage was noticed to both wing sponsons and the rudder. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,601 hours in all; 119 in this make and model; 2,361 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 30, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 17, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Barrett Precision Engines IO-540X (piston); 125 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MDZ Medford WI at 9:15 pm
- Destination: Pelican Lake WI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KRHI, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA15CA279.