What happened
During a nighttime departure from Southampton, a seaplane encountered significant instability while performing its takeoff roll across the Solent. As the aircraft accelerated, the captain found it impossible to maintain the necessary course to the right. In an effort to prevent a more serious accident, the pilot elected to abort the takeoff procedure.
During this maneuver, the left wing float made contact with the water's surface. The impact was severe enough that the left wing became submerged up to the level of the outer engine. Although the aircraft eventually sank into the water, all 31 occupants were successfully evacuated and rescued without any reported injuries.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the accident resulted from an error of airmanship by the captain, specifically failing to properly calculate the crosswind component before attempting the takeoff. This lack of preparation meant the pilot attempted a departure under weather conditions that exceeded his ability to control the aircraft.
Several contributing factors were identified during the inquiry:
- The control officer provided inaccurate information regarding the relationship between the wind direction and the flare path during the takeoff sequence.
- There was a rapid and sudden decline in weather stability while the takeoff procedure was already underway.