What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 2005-07-18 involved a Constance Lake, Ontario, operated by Cessna A185F Seaplane C-FHOP, at CA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The aircraft cartwheeled upon water contact for unknown reasons, and the pilot subsequently drowned because the aircraft's door design prevented external rescue access and the pilot could not exit the inverted, submerged cabin.

Pilot Drowns After Seaplane Cartwheels on Constance Lake

A seasoned pilot lost his life after his Cessna A185F seaplane inverted during a landing on Constance Lake, Ontario.

What happened

On a morning in Ontario, a pilot was performing the first return flight of the season, traveling from a cabin at Norcan Lake toward his home near Constance Lake. After stopping for fuel at Centennial/Black Donald Lake, the pilot proceeded under visual flight rules. At approximately 10:45 EDT, the Cessna A185F was flying roughly 100 feet above the north shore of the eastern section of Constance Lake.

Shortly after, at 10:50 EDT, the aircraft cartwheeled upon hitting the water, traveling northwest along the north shore. The plane ended up inverted in the lake. While the aircraft initially floated about 500 feet away, it eventually settled on the lake bottom with only the bottom of the floats visible. Although local residents attempted a rescue, the pilot had moved to the right seat and was unable to escape the submerged cabin, resulting in his death by drowning.

The investigation

The investigation examined the aircraft's condition, the pilot's recent flying history, and the environmental factors at the time of the crash. The aircraft was found to be well-maintained, with the weight and center of gravity within limits, and no mechanical discrepancies or submerged objects were identified.

Investigators noted that the pilot, while highly experienced with over 3,000 hours as pilot-in-command, had not undergone a flight review or instructor-led training in over four years. Additionally, the investigation looked into the aircraft's design, specifically the door locking mechanism and the status of the emergency locator transmitter (ELT).

Findings

The aircraft cartwheeled for undetermined reasons after contacting the water.
The pilot was unable to exit the aircraft and drowned.
The pilot's skills and decision-making may have been degraded due to a lack of recent training or flight reviews.
The design of the cabin door lock prevented rescuers from opening the door from the outside once it was locked from the inside.
The exterior door handles were difficult to locate due to being flush with the door and the poor underwater visibility.
The ELT switch was in the OFF position, which prevented the device from transmitting a signal upon impact.
The pilot was not wearing his required prescription glasses during the flight.

Safety action

Transport Canada has conducted a Risk Assessment regarding egress from submerged floatplanes to identify ways to mitigate the risks of occupants being unable to escape or rescuers being unable to enter submerged aircraft.