Amateur-built Sea Rey accident near Parker Dam, California, October 9, 2020
On October 9, 2020 at about 6:54 pm local time, a 2014 amateur-built Sea Rey, registered N32RK, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Parker Dam, California. 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 inadvertent encounter with water wake during the takeoff sequence that degraded the airplane’s airspeed and resulted in the pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from obstacles during the initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2020 · about 6:54 pm local time
- Place
- Parker Dam, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Sea Rey, built 2014
- Registration
- N32RK · registry record · serial 1DK351C
- 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 reported that, while taking off from a lake, unforeseen wakes that resulted in a decay the airplane’s airspeed. The pilot said that he was already committed to takeoff and initiated a climb at the airplane’s best rate of climb. While maneuvering to avoid obstructions, the left wing impacted a vehicle, and the airplane came to rest between two water tanks. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Choppy surface › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 23, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,570 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 912IS (piston); 308 hours total
The flight
- Destination: KHII Lake Havasu City AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 28.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from HII, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 26, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.