Accident Overview
On June 26, 2021, at approximately 2039 mountain daylight time, a Searey LSX airplane, registration N62EF, was destroyed in an accident near Logan, Utah. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Pre-Accident Information
The pilot's son, also a pilot, stated that he and his father had recently purchased the airplane. The day before the accident, they flew to Paine Field in Everett, Washington, to retrieve the aircraft and returned it to Logan Airport (LGU). The son described the Searey as relatively docile, with less performance than their Husky airplane. According to the son, the aircraft burned about 5 gallons of fuel per hour, and upon landing at LGU, approximately 11 gallons of fuel remained. It was uncertain whether the pilot added fuel before the accident flight.
Witness Accounts
On the accident day, the pilot's son invited the pilot to overfly a house where he was attending a barbecue. The son observed the airplane approaching from the south at an altitude of about 500 to 700 ft above ground level (agl) and a groundspeed of approximately 40 knots. The pilot waved as he flew past, then initiated a right turn toward rising terrain. The turn was described as tight, similar to how the pilot flew his Husky. During the turn, the right wing dropped, then the wings leveled, followed by the left wing dropping. The wings leveled again, and the engine power increased, causing the nose to pitch up. The airplane began to climb and struck a neighboring house in a nose-high attitude, coming to rest in the attic.
A second witness saw the airplane flying low, about 100 ft agl, and slow, around 50 to 60 knots. The flight path appeared erratic, with left-to-right banking. The airplane then banked sharply to the right, about 45° to 60°, as it turned 180° to the south before descending behind a house.
A third witness reported the airplane approaching a canyon or bench area above the property and turning right 180° toward terrain. The bank angle, while not excessive, was more aggressive than a standard rate turn, presumably to avoid terrain. As the airplane rolled out on a heading of about 170°, the right wing and nose dropped. The pilot appeared to attempt recovery, but the left wing dropped, and the airplane impacted a house.
Examination Findings
A postaccident examination found no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. The engine inspection revealed excessive fuel staining on both carburetors' exteriors and torn rubber flange assemblies between the carburetors and aluminum intakes. The carburetor floats were secure and within weight limits. A black substance was present in the bowl of the carburetor for cylinders 1 and 3. Spark plugs were incorrect for the engine application, not gapped per Rotax specifications, and had worn electrodes. The engine rotated smoothly by hand with good compression and no unusual noises.
The aircraft was equipped with a Dynon Skyview D700 EFIS/EMS and a Garmin GPSMAP 696 portable GPS. Data from the Garmin showed the airplane departed LGU, completed two oval patterns over the airport, then headed east/southeast. In the final 34 seconds, it executed a 180° turn before impact. Dynon data from the last five minutes indicated relatively constant engine power, with two slight decreases noted at approximately 2028 and 2033, correlated with RPM, EGT, and manifold pressure changes.
Toxicology testing on the pilot's blood and urine detected tamsulosin (Flomax), which is not generally considered impairing. An autopsy listed the cause of death as blunt force injuries.