What happened
Following a 25-minute flight, the pilot attempted a water landing with three passengers on board. The aircraft touched down approximately 400 feet from the shoreline, traveling toward land. The pilot attempted to abort the landing about 300 feet from the shore, successfully avoiding rocks and swimmers.
During the maneuver, the aircraft leveled off at an altitude of 15 feet and pitched upward in an attempt to clear a building and overhead wires. While the aircraft cleared the first set of wires, it settled downward, subsequently striking a second set of wires and an automobile before ultimately colliding with a building.
The investigation
The investigation determined that the aircraft's calculated landing weight was 3,790 pounds. This exceeded the manufacturer's maximum takeoff and landing gross weight for water operations, which was established at 3,100 pounds. Although a supplemental type certificate had increased the maximum allowable weight for water operations to 3,350 pounds, the actual weight remained above this limit.
Furthermore, the pilot's operating handbook charts for a gross weight of 3,100 pounds listed a water landing distance of 610 feet. The investigation also found that the calculated center of gravity was forward of the aircraft's allowable limits.