Amphibious Aircraft Tail Strikes Bystander During Beach Turn (N4763C)

Incident Overview and Context An amphibious aircraft pilot was returning to a gravel beach site where he had previously off-loaded passengers and cargo approximately 1.5 hours earlier. The aircraft landed on an adjoining lake and taxied up an inclined shoreline onto the beach, heading toward a camp established by the earlier group of passengers. During the taxiing maneuver, the pilot initiated a left turn to complete a 180-degree rotation and face the lake again. The tail of the aircraft struck one bystander during this turn and narrowly missed another. The pilot stated that he observed several people on the beach but did not see the specific individual who was hit. The air taxi company's operations manual specifies that the pilot is responsible for providing 'public protection' while the aircraft is operated near ground personnel.