Introduction
On a cross-country instructional flight, a student pilot was operating his own float-equipped airplane as part of a flight of two aircraft. The second airplane, equipped with wheels, was flown by the student's flight instructor.
Flight Details
The two airplanes departed together for the instructional flight. During the journey, weather conditions deteriorated, bringing light rain, gusty winds, and turbulence. The flight instructor, detecting a gasoline odor in his airplane, decided to land on a gravel airstrip adjacent to a small lake.
Weather Conditions
The student pilot reported that the winds were gusty, reaching up to 25 knots. The deteriorating weather included light rain and turbulence, which affected the landing approach.
Landing Attempt
The student pilot began a landing approach to the lake. His first approach resulted in a go-around. On the second approach, the student reported bouncing the landing on the water. The airplane settled onto the lake, but a wind gust lifted it off the water. The student then forced the airplane back onto the water, but during this maneuver, he took his eyes off the shore of the lake.
Collision
When the airplane finally settled onto the water, the student noticed it was close to the shore. He shut off the engine, but the airplane continued forward, hit the beach, and came to rest in an area of muskeg, approximately 40 feet from the shoreline. The impact broke the front float attach points, causing the fuselage to pivot downward.
Damage
The aircraft sustained damage to its floats, engine cowling, propeller, fuselage, and wings. No injuries were reported.