Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to retract the landing gear prior to landing in water. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to use the manufacturer’s provided checklist.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
After fueling the airplane at a nearby airport, the pilot was returning to his home lake to perform a water landing. During the landing, the landing gear were still configured in the extended position. The landing gear contacted the water and the airplane nosed down into the water. The airplane subsequently submerged in the water and sank. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported there were no mechanical failures or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the landing gear had no abnormalities that prevented normal operation.