Incident Overview
According to the official investigation, the pilot was operating under marginal VFR conditions and entered the traffic pattern using a close-in dogleg approach to final for a landing to the west. During the approach, the pilot heard another aircraft broadcasting a departure from Stuart Island to the east. The pilot responded with a transmission stating, "Aircraft close in, landing to the west, Stuart." He then prepared to execute a go-around. However, after rounding the corner of the island and rolling out on final, he observed an aircraft pulling off the runway to a grassy area to the south. Consequently, he decided to continue the approach for a full-stop landing.
Landing and Hydroplaning
Upon touchdown on the 2,000-foot runway, the aircraft encountered a significant amount of standing water. The pilot immediately retracted the flaps to increase weight on the wheels for braking. Due to the standing water, the aircraft began to hydroplane. As it neared the end of the runway, it had not yet come to a stop. To prevent the aircraft from going off the far end, the pilot intentionally executed a sharp turn to the right.
Accident Sequence
Just after initiating the turn, the left main landing gear and the nose gear dug into the soft, muddy surface beside the runway. This caused the aircraft to tip up on its left side, and the left wing contacted the runway surface.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that a heavy rain shower had passed through the area approximately 15 minutes prior to the landing, leaving a significant portion of the runway surface covered with standing water. In a post-accident interview, the pilot stated that he did not realize how much standing water was on the runway until after touchdown, when water began spraying onto the bottom of the wing and the windshield. He further indicated that if he had known the potential for hydroplaning was so great, he would have reduced his approach speed to compensate for the wet conditions.