Amateur-built 3000 accident near Bellevue, Washington, September 15, 2023
On September 15, 2023 at about 5:58 pm local time, a 2012 amateur-built 3000, registered N57TJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Bellevue, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of airplane control after encountering a lake swell and skipping during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2023 · about 5:58 pm local time
- Place
- Bellevue, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 3000, built 2012
- Registration
- N57TJ · no longer on the register · serial 52
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a personal flight in the amphibious airplane with one passenger. During the step phase of the water takeoff (when most of the seaplane’s weight is supported by lift rather than the buoyancy of the floats), the airplane impacted a lake swell, leading it to skip, then pitch up and bank to one side before impacting the water. Postaccident examination revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation, and witness accounts indicated that the engine was producing power at the time of the accident. The left forward shoulder harness inertia reel and webbing were not found during the examination and were likely not installed because photographs of previous flights showed no shoulder harness at the pilot’s seat position. This likely contributed to the severity of the pilot’s injuries. A video recording of the accident sequence was consistent with witness observations and showed calm water near the shoreline and a slow-moving lake swell in the area where the skipping occurred. Glassy water can give the impression of calm and safety, but it can also be dangerous due to a lack of visual cues and the potential for sudden changes in water conditions. It is likely that the lake swell was not aligned with the pilot’s intended direction of departure, which resulted in the skipping and loss of control during takeoff.
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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Flight compartment equipment › Not installed/available
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all
- Last flight review: October 13, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 356.0 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, August 16, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540-L1B5 (piston); 920 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Bellevue WA at 5:58 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KRNT, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KRNT 151753Z AUTO 36005KT 10SM CLR 20/13 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP165 T02000133 10200 20122 58000 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
15 documents, released by the NTSB on September 25, 2025. 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.
Other NTSB records under N57TJ the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.