Amateur-built U-6A accident near Kenmore, Washington, May 3, 2000
On May 3, 2000 at about 5:50 pm local time, a amateur-built U-6A, registered N8523, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kenmore, Washington (Kenmore Air Harbour Spb 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
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft during the landing roll. Contributing factors were the power wave created by the nearby yacht, the rough water conditions, and the pilot's loss of visual contact with the wave during the rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2000 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Kenmore, Washington · Kenmore Air Harbour Spb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built U-6A
- Registration
- N8523 · registry record · serial 57-6161
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing to the south on Lake Washington in between a buoy and a yacht. The yacht was making approximately 2 to 3 knots speed heading south. Winds were out of the south at 13 knots, gusting to 17 knots resulting in choppy water surface conditions. As the floatplane touched down, the yacht powered up creating a large bow wave. The aircraft contacted the wave during its southerly rollout and while decelerating in a nose high attitude. The encounter resulted in the aircraft's right wing contacting the water. Forward visibility was restricted as the nose of the aircraft was raised during the landing on water.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 1999; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R985-AN39A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WA03 Anacortes WA at 5:10 pm
- Destination: WA57
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from BFI, 12 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.