ERA12FA265 · Sapp Larry E SEAWIND 3000

The pilot/owner flew the experimental amateur-built amphibious airplane with a pilot-rated passenger on a long cross-country flight to a land-based airport, the day prior to the accident. The purpose of the trip was to begin training for a seaplane rating, which was to be conducted in another airplane type, at a nearby lake. While en route, the airplane’s transponder malfunctioned, and the purpose of the accident flight was to fly to another airport to have the transponder replaced at a maintenance facility. The airplane departed from a 4,301-foot-long, asphalt runway. The airplane experienced a total loss of engine power shortly after takeoff, stalled, and descended into the rooftop of a supermarket located about 1 mile from the departure end of the runway, where it was consumed by a postcrash fire.

The pilot-rated passenger reported that there were no problems with the airplane’s takeoff roll and initial climb. As the pilot turned crosswind, the engine suddenly quit. He was also not able to recall the point at which the airplane lifted off the runway, the altitude the engine lost power, or any instrument indications. His next recollection was rolling on the floor of the supermarket. A pilot at the departure airport reported that the accident airplane rotated about 500 feet prior to the end of the runway, and began a shallow climb, while mostly maintaining a high pitch angle. Shortly thereafter, he observed the airplane stall and enter a descending left spin, before it disappeared behind a tree line.

Postaccident examination of wreckage did not reveal any catastrophic preimpact malfunctions; however, the condition of the wreckage precluded the ability to functionally check the engine, its associated components and fuel system. In addition, it could not be determined if debris found in the airplane’s fuel system was present prior to the postcrash fire. While the logbooks for the engine were not located, the investigation noted that the engine was installed on an airplane that was involved in a fatal accident about 19 years prior to the accident. The engine was overhauled about 10 years 6 months prior to the accident and at the time of the accident, appeared to have been rebuilt with parts from several engines. The pilot recently purchased the airplane, which had undergone a period of not being flown for about 3 years prior to the purchase.

Verbatim NTSB analysis and probable cause from the NTSB dataset