What happened
During an attempt to perform a water landing, the pilot of a float-equipped airplane encountered significant visibility restrictions caused by ground fog. While maneuvering at a low altitude, the pilot decided to abort the landing and initiated a go-around procedure. During this phase of flight, the aircraft struck the surface of the water. The impact caused the plane to bounce before striking the water a second time. Following the second impact, the aircraft settled in an upright position but eventually sank beneath the surface.
All four occupants on board were successfully rescued following the incident. There were no reported fatalities or injuries among the crew and passengers.
Findings
According to the pilot, the aircraft was functioning normally and showed no signs of mechanical failure that would have prevented a successful flight. The operator noted that while the fog created difficult conditions, other company pilots operating on the same day indicated that the low visibility could have been bypassed by making a minor adjustment to the flight path.