What happened
On 3 July 2020, an amateur-built Murphy SR3500 (also known as a Murphy Moose) departed from Cooking Lake Airport in Alberta. The aircraft, which was configured with amphibious floats, was conducting seaplane endorsement training. On board the flight were one pilot, one training pilot, and one passenger.
Following a touch-and-go maneuver on a lake located east of Cooking Lake, the aircraft flew toward the southwest. While operating in the area of Rolly View, Alberta, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled state and struck the ground. The impact resulted in three fatalities. There was no fire reported at the crash site.
The investigation
The TSB conducted a Class 4 investigation into the accident. This type of investigation is limited in scope and focuses on the sequence of events surrounding the loss of control and subsequent terrain collision.