Pilot Drowned After Floatplane Disappeared on Ocean Crossing (N9701G)

What happened

A solo private pilot departed from an inland coastal town in a float-equipped airplane for a daylong trip. The pilot's proposed flight path would have covered an extensive area over open ocean water. When the airplane failed to return, an extensive search failed to find the airplane. Eighteen days later, the body of the pilot was found along the shore of the area of water the pilot intended to cross. A post mortem examination determined the cause of death was drowning and noted blunt force trauma to the head and neck as a significant condition.

The investigation

The search for the aircraft was extensive but initially unsuccessful. The recovery of the pilot's body provided the primary evidence regarding the outcome of the flight. No mechanical examination of the aircraft was possible as it was not recovered.

Findings

• The pilot failed to return from an overwater flight.
• The pilot was found deceased along the shoreline of the intended crossing area.
• Cause of death was determined to be drowning with associated blunt force trauma.