What happened
During a local area instructional flight in Alaska, a commercial pilot/flight instructor was providing dual instruction to a private pilot/student. The flight was part of a two-day training program intended to help the student gain experience operating on lakes and rivers. The float-equipped airplane was owned by the student.
Following departure, the student pilot attempted to land on a creek while traveling in a northbound direction. As the aircraft touched down on the water, it began decelerating with the water rudders in the up position. During this deceleration phase, the airplane suddenly veered to the right. This movement caused the floats to collide with the creek bank. The impact resulted in the left wing striking trees along the bank and the propeller striking the ground.
There were no injuries reported following the incident. The student pilot stated he believed the right float may have struck an unseen sand bar, while the flight instructor could not identify the specific reason for the sudden rightward veer.