Airplane Contacted The Water Three Times Before Pitching Up, Banking To One Side And Then Impacting The Water

Location: Bellevue, WA Accident Number: WPR23FA344
Date & Time: September 15, 2023, 10:58 Local Registration: N57TJ
Aircraft: Seawind 3000 Injuries: 1 Fatal, 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On September 15, 2023, about 1058 Pacific daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Seawind 3000 amphibious airplane, N57TJ, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Bellevue, Washington. The pilot was fatally injured, and the passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations(CFR) Part 91 personal flight.

According to witnesses, the airplane was initially heard and then seen departing from Lake Sammamish in a south-southeast direction. During the departure, the airplane contacted the water three times before pitching up, banking to one side and then impacting the water. Several witnesses recalled the sound of the airplane as normal. A security video captured the audio and visual of the airplane during the accident sequence. The engine rpm increases and shortly after the airplane comes into view from the left side of the video. The video is consistent with witness observations and shows calm water near the shoreline.

The accident site was near the middle of the lake and first responders described the area as having multiple floating airplane sections and the smell of fuel. They also reported that the canopy and sections of the forward fuselage including the nose landing gear were present. The airplane was towed by local law enforcement later that afternoon and was recovered from the water to a secure area the following day. The canopy, forward fuselage and nose landing gear were not found during the recovery process.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov