Pilot Says Accident Was His Fault

A pilot taking a prospective buyer of his SeaRey amphibious airplane for a demonstration flight lost the sale Monday when the plane went down in the water three miles south of Davis Island near Tampa, FL.

Television station WTSP reports that the accident occurred about 1125 EDT Monday. A person aboard another aircraft called in the accident, and began circling the area. Two fishermen in a boat ... one a Hillsborough County (FL) firefighter and paramedic and the other a rescue squad volunteer ... got to the plane and pulled the pilot and passenger out of the water.

The rescuers on the boat said the pair in the water were both smiling as they got close.

Tampa Police Lt. Jack Diaz said the pilot admitted that it was his fault "He was trying to fly close to the water, and didn't realize his landing gear was down until it hit the water," Diaz told the station.

Both men suffered only minor injuries. The prospective buyer, identified as Eric Olinger, said he was still interested in a SeaRey because he felt very safe during the entire accident sequence.

(SeaRey pictured in file photo. Not accident airplane)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov