What happened
During a maritime patrol mission over the Gulf of Mexico, the flight crew experienced a loss of situational awareness. Recognizing the critical nature of their position, the pilot elected to ditch the aircraft in the water. The emergency landing took place roughly 160 kilometers west of Tampa, Florida.
Following the impact with the sea, all five individuals on board were successfully extracted from the wreckage. Despite the safe evacuation of the crew and passengers, the seaplane remained afloat for only a short period before sinking beneath the surface. The aircraft was not recovered and is recorded as lost.
Findings
The official investigation concluded that the primary factor leading to the incident was the crew's inability to maintain accurate navigation data. Specifically, the team became disoriented during the flight, which necessitated the emergency ditching procedure in open water.