Incident Overview
A fatal aviation accident occurred when an amphibian aircraft attempted to land at Elusive Lake, located near Barrow. During the final approach and touchdown sequence, the aircraft experienced a bounce. Following this initial contact with the water surface, the pilot failed to maintain control of the machine.
Accident Sequence
The loss of control resulted in the aircraft crashing into the lake and subsequently sinking beneath the surface. The incident proved fatal for everyone on board; both occupants were killed in the crash. No survivors were reported from the event.
Investigation Findings
The official investigation identified specific pilot errors as the root cause of the tragedy. The findings indicated that the accident was precipitated by an improper level-off maneuver. Furthermore, the pilot executed an improper recovery following the bounced landing. These technical deficiencies in handling the aircraft during critical phases of flight led directly to the loss of control and the subsequent crash.