Amateur-built Searey accident near Marysville, Washington, October 12, 2006
On October 12, 2006 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Searey, registered N9877S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marysville, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to identify an unsafe condition (strong tidal currents) prior to a water landing, which resulted in the airplane nosing over when the pilot was unable to maintain aircraft control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 2006 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Marysville, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Searey
- Registration
- N9877S · no longer on the register · serial 1DK175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the amphibious airplane said that he started the day by practicing seven water landings on a fresh water lake. He said he was flying back to his home base when he decided to do a landing in the brackish waters where two sloughs came together. He said the water landing went well, but when he continued with a high speed taxi, the aircraft nosed over. The pilot said that the front of the hull and the cockpit area were fractured and broken. The pilot said that he believes there was a strong tidal current in the area, and it contributed to the aircraft nosing over.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,455 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 1,354 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 1, 2006; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Jabiru A3300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AWO Arlington WA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: Marysville WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from PAE, 11 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.