On April 14, 1986, a Consolidated PBY Catalina (registration C-FSAT) operated by Can-Air Services was involved in an aviation accident near Kahului, United States of America during landing or approach. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The aircraft struck a reef while attempting to land on the water. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).
A seaplane sustained heavy damage after striking a reef during a test flight in the Kahului region.
What happened
Following a storage period lasting nearly one year, a seaplane was being operated for a local testing mission in the vicinity of Kahului. During the landing phase of the flight, the aircraft made contact with an underwater reef while touching down on the water. The impact caused the plane to come to a complete stop at the site of the collision.
While the incident resulted in the aircraft being damaged beyond repair, there were no casualties reported among the occupants.
Findings
The primary factor in the accident was the collision with a reef during the landing sequence.
Probable cause
The aircraft struck a reef while attempting to land on the water.