Kathryn's Report: Seawind 3000, N8UU: July 04, 2021, July 02, 2021, June 27, 2021 and June 26, 2021
Was it being flown with gear down because of recent damage? Final accident: https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N8UU/history/20210703/2322Z
This is a first to track an airplane across the USA by checking the accident reports. I really hope that guy doesn't get to fly that plane again and thank goodness nobody on the ground got hurt during his escapades.
Judging by the Coast Guard pictures, it looks like it was heading to the bottom of Lake Michigan. Looks to be around 200' deep there. https://www.facebook.com/USCGTraverseCity/photos/a.244048919095114/1991598394340149/?type=3&theater
I am the airport mgr at KONL..I spent 3 days with this fellow..He landed gear up the day he bought it for 100 plus grand..in CA...Then ran off the runway in NM..wiping out landing lights and left flap..He repaired it..the we were his next stop..5 attempts to land..last one lost it on landing..creamed two runway lights..His story was..Airplane sat for 2 years..when he got to us he had already damaged the hull...I fed him..housed him..and gave him tools and parts..We got his CG corected for his pilot weight..He replaced the trim motor..ad the first was inop..hence the 4 attempts to land..He was way aft..outside the envelope..Luccky to be alive..lucky...His trip to test everything was not much better..his trim was reversed..wiped out right main and brake assembly..Feds talked to him..We advised him to truck the plane..he refused all efforts..Snuck out Saturday..did not pay his bill..made it all the way home..over the lake..his engine quit..He deadsticked it back to a nearby airport..broke the nosewheel.Fixed it again..added fuel..Now ran all the tanks dry..sucked all the fiberglass trash into the fuel system..Took off halfway across the lake..it quit again..Nosegear was locked down..hull was scraped and damaged..lanned dead stick in the lake..nose gear down..Fliped over..lucky to have gotten out..Airplane is at the bottom of Lake MI..Nice guy..bit of a temper..hellbent on gethomeitis...No insurance..lost it all because of god knows why...It was like watching 2 trains heading towards one another..nothing you could do..Even the FAA..after verifying his credentials and barely current currency.They.said to let..him go..Sad day indeed..
I would call him an idiot, but there are real idiots out there who don't deserve to be lumped in with this clown. Stupid moron like this deserves to lose $100K+ on this venture. I hope he paid cash for it, or the holder of the note holds him to it. That photo of him, well, it kinda says it all. Would you buy a used car from this man? No insurance? No problem!
