Amateur-built Seawind 3000 accident near Havasu Lake, California, July 11, 2006
On July 11, 2006, a amateur-built Seawind 3000, registered N8025Q, was destroyed in an accident near Havasu Lake, California (Lake Havasu City airport). 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
an electrical fire due to improper wiring of the electrical system by other maintenance personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2006
- Place
- Havasu Lake, California · Lake Havasu City · 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
- Registration
- N8025Q · no longer on the register · serial 025
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amphibious airplane was destroyed in a ground fire following a forced landing. During the takeoff initial climb out, electrical fumes and smoke emanated from the right side portion of the instrument panel. A successful water landing was made; however, a post impact fire consumed the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed that it was equipped with two batteries that were interconnected with each other and positioned in the right side nose/storage compartment area. Both batteries' cables were connected to a single MASTER solenoid and a single START solenoid. A burn mark was located in the battery compartment that was the size and position of the negative cable for the right side battery. The storage area for the batteries was not damaged; however, the cockpit was consumed in the post impact fire. Further inspection of the airplane's electrical wiring revealed that the groundside of the forward battery had been wired to the hot side of the START solenoid that resulted in a reverse polarity draw during engine start. The protective covering for the wires burned away exposing the wires that then came into contact with each other and started the fire. Recent maintenance work on the airplane included movement of both batteries to the right side, and a rewire of the cables to the MASTER and START solenoids.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,305 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 127 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 2,245 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 190 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2005; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HII Lake Havasu Cit AZ
- Destination: F70 Murrieta/Temecu CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 111°F (44°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from EED, 14 miles away
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.
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.