35-Year-Old Pilot Rescued and Airlifted to a Hospital With Serious Injuries

On May 17, a small amphibious aircraft caught fire shortly after takeoff and crashed into the Potomac River. The pilot and sole occupant survived and was airlifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The plane, a 2019 SeaMax M-22 registered as N154RL, took off from Virginia’s Lake Anna just before 3:00 pm on May 17. It continued northeast for approximately 15 minutes at an altitude of around 1,800 feet before catching fire and plummeting towards the Potomac River.

Maryland State Police received a tip from the Maryland Natural Resources Police about a small plane going down in the Potomac, just offshore from the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division. Police, firefighters, and EMS personnel responded from divisions across both Virginia and Maryland, including NDW Dahlgren, Stafford County, Colonial Beach, and King George Fire and Rescue, as well as Charles County Fire and Rescue Departments, Charles County Dive Team Rescue Boats, and HAZMAT/Mass Casualty teams.

A kind fisherman had already helped the sole occupant, reportedly a 35-year-old Naval Aviator, from the water when the first responders arrived at the crash site. Medical personnel requested a helicopter for transport.

The pilot was airlifted to a burn center in Washington, DC, for treatment. At the time, he was reported to have serious, but non-critical injuries. His Seamax was left in the water for initial investigations until the following morning, on May 18.

FMI: www.seamaxaircraft.com