Accident Details
The accident involved an amphibious float-equipped airplane returning to a lodge on a remote lake after picking up supplies. The airplane had departed from a paved runway at an airport. En route, the pilot noted that the airplane would not achieve its normal cruise airspeed and attitude. Believing the airplane was tail heavy, the pilot instructed the aft cabin passenger to move forward.
Sequence of Events
Upon touchdown on the lake, the airplane nosed down into the water. The supplies, which were not secured in the aft cabin, shifted forward and pinned the pilot and front seat passenger against the instrument panel. The passenger in the aft cabin lifted as many of the supplies off the pilot and front seat passenger as possible before exiting the sinking airplane. The pilot and front seat passenger were able to exit the submerged airplane under their own power, but the pilot did not reach the surface. An autopsy later determined that the pilot had drowned.
Postaccident Findings
A postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed that the wheels had not been retracted after takeoff from the runway, resulting in the airplane landing on the lake with the wheels fully extended. Additionally, the front seat passenger reported that the pilot did not use a checklist prior to landing.