Incident Overview
A pilot conducted a local maintenance test flight in a floatplane. According to the pilot, he had no intention of landing on the water. However, he approached a lake and decided to land in order to double-check the floats. The pilot reported observing the shoreline through the right window to compensate for glassy water conditions. He described the touchdown as smooth, but the airplane then yawed to the right, and the right float felt as though it was being pulled out from under the aircraft. The right wing dropped and the nose struck the water, breaking a window and allowing water to enter the cabin.
Pilot's Account
The pilot stated that he may have hit something in the water. He further remarked, 'If the right float shows no damage then I would use an educated guess that Pilot error should be considered.' The pilot's logbook indicated 0.2 hours of flight time in the accident-type aircraft within the last 90 days and recorded no water landings during that period.
Examination Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane and the lake. The inspector reported, 'An on scene investigation of the aircraft and crash site did not indicate any pre-impact damage to the aircraft or amphibian floats.' Additionally, the float's landing gear was found in the retracted position.