Bair Helicopters, Inc. SEAREY accident near Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina, March 26, 2000
On March 26, 2000 at about 8:54 pm local time, a Bair Helicopters, Inc. SEAREY, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N246DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina. 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 inadvertent stall by the pilot-in-command while on final approach resulting in the uncontrolled descent and in-flight collision with water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 26, 2000 · about 8:54 pm local time
- Place
- Kill Devil Hill, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bair Helicopters, Inc. SEAREY, amateur-built
- Registration
- N246DB · registry record · serial MK-013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after takeoff he performed one touch-and-go landing on the water where the airplane is based then flew north of there then returned and performed one touch-and-go landing on the water. While turning left base to final for the planned 3rd touch-and-go landing, with 10 degrees of flaps extended, in a 15-20 degree angle of bank, and with the power reduced, the passenger called out that the indicated airspeed was 55 miles per hour. The pilot later reported that he did not monitor the airspeed during the turn. He applied partial power; the engine responded, then lowered the nose. He then applied aft elevator input with no response. The airplane contacted the water while in a left wing low attitude. He further reported that there was no engine or flight control preimpact failure or malfunction and just before impact with the water the flight encountered a wind gust. Postaccident examination of the airplane by one of the co-owners revealed aileron, rudder, and elevator flight control continuity from the cockpit to each control surface.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 3,500 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 450 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 4, 2000; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from MQI
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.