What happened
On June 16, 1997, EDO floats were installed on the aircraft. Approximately 20 days prior to the accident, the pilot had accumulated 5.8 hours of total time operating this specific airplane on floats. During the flight in question, the aircraft was significantly overweight. The revised weight and balance calculations indicated a new useful load of 439 pounds; however, the combined weight of the pilot (185 pounds), a passenger (approximately 170 pounds), and 36 gallons of fuel (totaling 571 pounds) resulted in the aircraft being approximately 132 pounds over its maximum allowable gross weight.
Shortly after takeoff, the airplane crashed. The impact with the ground was followed by a postcrash fire that destroyed the aircraft. Investigators measured ground scars at the site to be 50 feet long. A witness observed the airplane undergoing a series of RPM changes during the flight sequence, noting that the final change involved the engine transitioning to full power.
The investigation
An examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preimpact flight control failure or any mechanical malfunction within the engine. Investigators analyzed a fuel sample taken from the right fuel tank, which appeared to be a mixture of auto gas and oil similar to that used in two-stroke engines. The sample was gold in color and possessed an oily texture when left to dry.