Accident Overview
A special light sport amphibian airplane sustained substantial damage when it nosed over and came to rest inverted during a water landing. The pilot had planned a personal sightseeing flight, which included departing from an airport, landing on a lake approximately 20 miles away, and then returning to the departure airport.
During the approach to landing on the lake, the pilot left the landing gear in the extended position, which is incorrect for a water landing. After touching down on the water, the airplane decelerated rapidly, nosed over, and inverted. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Findings
When the airplane was recovered from the lake, substantial damage was observed on both wings and the fuselage. The landing gear was observed in the extended position, and the landing gear selector was also found in the landing gear extended position.