What happened
The incident occurred while the aircraft was attempting to land in the Tofino harbor. At the moment of touchdown on glassy water conditions, the structural integrity of the landing gear failed. Specifically, the floats were sheared off from the fuselage due to the impact forces. This mechanical failure caused the plane to crash into the harbor waters immediately after the initial contact with the surface.
Findings
The investigation noted that the specific condition of the water, described as glassy, was present during the accident. The primary mechanical issue identified was the shearing of the floats upon landing. Despite the severity of the structural damage and the subsequent write-off of the aircraft, there were no injuries reported among those on board.