Incident Overview
During a landing approach, a floatplane experienced wing rocking moments before touchdown, culminating in the left wing striking the water. The pilot and a witness reported that the aircraft encountered turbulence generated by a de Havilland DHC-2 (Beaver) that had landed seconds earlier.
Pilot and Witness Accounts
The pilot stated that she landed a normal distance behind the Beaver. However, a witness on the shore offered a contrasting perspective, describing the approach and landing as too fast and too close behind the preceding aircraft.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot and witness statements, the floatplane's wings rocked several times just before touchdown. Immediately following the wing rocking, the left wing made contact with the water, resulting in the incident. The turbulence from the DHC-2 Beaver was identified as a contributing environmental factor by both the pilot and witness.
The witness's observation of an excessive approach speed and proximity to the Beaver suggests that the separation between the two aircraft may have been insufficient, though the pilot maintained that the spacing was normal.
No Official Probable Cause
The investigation source did not assign a probable cause for the incident. The available information consists solely of the described events and the perspectives of the pilot and a witness.