NTSB Factual Report

On July 29, 2018, at 1205 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built SeaRey amphibious airplane, N221EZ, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a tree then water while attempting to land on the Connecticut River, near Haverhill, New Hampshire. The private pilot/registered owner and the passenger were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated at the Laconia Municipal Airport (LCI), Laconia, New Hampshire, about 1100.

The pilot stated that he had made two successful water landings on the river and was preparing to make a third landing up-river to join a friend who had already landed and beached his SeaRey. After he took off, the pilot initiated a left "teardrop" turn over a flat cornfield to make a 45° re-entry to the river at an altitude of 50 ft above ground level. The airplane had crossed over the shoreline, when the pilot attempted to turn left and line up with the river; however, the control stick would not move past the vertical position. The airplane would not turn, and was approaching 60-foot-tall trees on the opposite bank of the river. The pilot added power, but the airplane collided with a tree, and impacted the river in a nose down left-wing low attitude.

The airplane was retained for further investigation.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His last Federal Aviation Administration third-class medical certificate was issued on December 20, 2017. The pilot reported a total of 760 flight hours; of which, 498 hours were in the accident airplane.

At 1100, weather at LCI was reported as wind from 290° at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 4,000 ft, temperature 81° F, dew point 75° F, and an altimeter setting of 30.04 inches of mercury.