What happened
During the return leg of a Part 135 sightseeing excursion, a pilot was attempting to depart a remote bay in an amphibious float-equipped airplane. The flight was departing toward the north amidst challenging conditions, including 4 to 6 foot sea swells and north winds ranging from 15 to 20 knots. Shortly after reaching an altitude of approximately 10 to 15 feet, the aircraft encountered windshear that forced the plane downward. During the subsequent low-altitude flight, the aircraft's floats impacted several waves, causing a significant impact that damaged the right float assembly.
Following the structural damage, the aircraft collided with the water, causing both float assemblies to be crushed upward and leading to the flooding of the left float. The company guide managed to exit onto the right float and initiated a distress call using a satellite phone. As the aircraft began to sink, all occupants donned life preservers. After roughly 15 minutes, the rising water forced an evacuation of the cabin. The occupants attempted to cling to the right float as the plane rolled, but the wind and waves began drifting the wreckage away from the shore.
During the ordeal, one passenger was swept away from the float within five minutes, followed by two additional passengers. The pilot also lost his grip on the float and subsequently lost consciousness. Rescuers from the U.S. Coast Guard, including a C-130 and helicopters, arrived to conduct the search and rescue. While the guide successfully reached an inflatable raft, the other occupants were recovered by helicopter crews after suffering from severe hypothermia. The total number of fatalities was 3.
Findings
- The aircraft was not equipped with a life raft, though such equipment was not a regulatory requirement for this flight.
- The primary cause of the initial descent was the encounter with windshear during the takeoff phase.