What happened
The accident occurred at a seaplane base situated on a navigable waterway known as Harvey Canal. This area featured a set of power lines suspended over the canal by two tall towers. The lowest line above the water surface was positioned at 160 feet, but these lines dropped significantly in height to approximately 60 feet when crossing over adjacent land. Standard operating procedure for a southbound takeoff required pilots to either fly under the wires immediately after lift-off or to turn and cross over them where they were lowest to the ground.
During the incident flight, the aircraft was observed climbing normally to an altitude of approximately 30 feet above ground level (AGL) before beginning to accelerate. Approximately 500 feet north of the power lines, the aircraft entered an abrupt climb and reportedly assumed a near-vertical attitude. It then rotated about its left wing and descended vertically into the canal, impacting the water approximately 100 feet north of the power lines.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure. The investigation determined that the pilot had been providing flight instruction to the passenger during the takeoff phase. It was not verified who had pulled the aircraft up, but the pilot's normal procedure was to fly under the wires.
Findings
The primary contributing factor was the abrupt climb into suspended power lines. The incident highlights the critical importance of adhering to established low-wire crossing procedures during seaplane operations in constrained environments.