What happened
The pilot of a De Havilland DHC2 Beaver amphibious aircraft departed from an airport using the wheeled landing gear configuration. The intended destination was a village accessible only via a seaplane base, requiring a water landing. During the initial phase of flight, the pilot attempted to transition the aircraft for the water approach but could not recall retracting the wheels after departure.
The pilot proceeded with a normal approach toward the water at the destination village. Upon touchdown on the surface, the aircraft nosed over and inverted. After swimming from the cockpit, the pilot observed that the landing gear was still extended from the floats, confirming the wheels had not been retracted prior to the water contact.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical state of the aircraft following the accident. Examination revealed that the landing gear remained in the down and locked position relative to the float structure at the time of impact. There were no indications of mechanical failure preventing gear retraction; rather, the evidence pointed to a procedural omission during the flight.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to this accident was the pilot's failure to retract the landing gear after takeoff. The aircraft was configured for land operations but landed on water without transitioning to float-borne configuration. This error resulted in excessive drag and instability upon water contact, causing the nose to dig in and the aircraft to invert.
Safety message
Pilots operating amphibious aircraft must strictly adhere to checklists during the transition from land to water operations. It is critical to verify gear retraction status before initiating a water landing approach to prevent structural damage and potential injury.