What happened
The pilot, holding a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating, was en route to a different airport to complete the practical test for a single-engine sea rating. During the flight, he deviated from his planned route and stopped at a lake located approximately three miles from his intended destination. The purpose of this stop was to practice takeoffs and landings in preparation for the upcoming checkride.
While conducting these maneuvers, the pilot attempted a power-off landing. He approached the runway area on final approach but found himself high and slow relative to the desired glide path. As he continued the descent, he failed to apply sufficient engine power in time to arrest the sink rate. This resulted in a hard landing impact with the surface.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's actions during the practice session. It was determined that the aircraft was being used for training purposes unrelated to the official checkride at the time of the incident. The mechanical condition of the aircraft was not cited as a factor in the event.
Findings
Contributing factors included the pilot's decision to delay his flight to practice maneuvers and his failure to maintain proper airspeed and power settings during the approach. Specifically, the pilot did not add power in time to stop the sink rate while attempting a power-off landing.