Amateur-built Seawind accident near Pocono Summit, Pennsylvania, October 12, 2018
On October 12, 2018 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 1993 amateur-built Seawind, registered N46SW, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Pocono Summit, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to attempt to take off from a lake in high crosswind conditions, which resulted in the right wing lifting, the left wing impacting the water, and the airplane bouncing and then impacting the water hard.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 2018 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pocono Summit, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Seawind 3000, built 1993
- Registration
- N46SW · no longer on the register · serial 003
- 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 attempted to take off from a lake with a 20- to 30-knot crosswind. A video of the takeoff showed that, as the right wing lifted, the left wingtip contacted the water. Subsequently, the seaplane bounced and impacted the water hard with the nose oriented to the left. The pilot was able to correct the course heading and continued to water taxi without further incident. The pilot added that he should not have departed in high crosswind conditions and admitted to pilot error. The seaplane sustained substantial damage to the right aileron. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who conducted a postaccident examination of the seaplane reported that he established flight control continuity and that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the seaplane 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
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Decision related to condition
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Decision related to condition
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,269 hours in all; 92 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 279 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 5, 2018
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIE5 (piston); 279 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Pocono Summit PA
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KMPO, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 31, 2020. 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 Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation (FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.