Accident Details
On the day of the accident, a float-equipped aircraft taxied to the takeoff position on Gander Lake, Newfoundland, with a pilot and one passenger on board. The aircraft attempted to depart but, according to witnesses, never achieved a fully on-step planing condition. Instead, it was lifted off the water in a nose-high attitude while in a semi-stalled state.
At an altitude of approximately 10 to 15 feet above the lake surface, the left wing dropped, and the aircraft entered a sideslip. It continued to lose altitude until the left wing tip made contact with the water. The impact caused the aircraft to cartwheel and partially submerge. The pilot and passenger died as a result of drowning.
Witness Accounts
Several individuals observed the takeoff. One witness specifically noted that the aircraft did not appear to reach its proper step speed and was pulled off the water prematurely in a nose-high, semi-stalled condition. The witness further described the subsequent left wing drop and sideslip leading to the wing tip striking the water.
Weather Conditions
Weather at the time was deemed suitable for the flight. Although the aircraft did not take off directly into the wind, the wind velocity was reported at only 7 miles per hour, as per the Gander Airways weather report.
Probable Cause
Official investigation findings indicated no evidence of any malfunction of the aircraft, engine, or controls prior to the crash. The immediate cause of the accident was determined to be the left wing tip of the aircraft coming into contact with the water, after which the aircraft crashed and partially submerged. The major contributing factors were identified as poor judgment on the part of the pilot in attempting a turn at approximately 15 feet above the water, and poor technique in permitting the aircraft to stall.