Amateur-built SeaRey accident near Ringoes, New Jersey, July 30, 2006
On July 30, 2006 at about 3:00 pm local time, a amateur-built SeaRey, registered N4293S, was destroyed in an accident near Ringoes, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Factors included a partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2006 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ringoes, New Jersey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SeaRey
- Registration
- N4293S · registry record · serial 1MK026
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness familiar with the airplane reported that shortly after takeoff, he heard the engine "misfire and sputter," which caused him to look up. He then saw the airplane in a vertical dive, with the underside facing him. The airplane subsequently disappeared behind trees, and the witness heard it impact the ground. Photographs revealed that the ground impact was nose first, consistent with a stall. The engine rpm gauge indicated 2,900 rpm, the two wooden propeller blades displayed fractures in a direction opposite rotation, and ground scars were present in the propeller's plane of rotation; all of which indicated the engine was under power at impact. There were several fields available for a forced landing. No medical problems were noted with the pilot/mechanic, who had over 16,000 hours of flight time. There were also no mechanical anomalies noted with the airplane.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 16,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 695 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Ringoes NJ
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from SMQ, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.