The pilot told investigators that she had set up for landing the Cessna 185 on an intracoastal waterway near Barataria, Louisiana. She picked a landing area based on the locations of three nearby boats.
During final approach, she had the three boats in sight, one of which was on the far right side of the waterway and traveling in the same direction. She determined that the boats would not be a factor and continued to land.
The airplane touched down on the choppy water and she added power to keep the airplane on the step.
Immediately after touchdown the airplane veered left, then nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the right wing.
The pilot got out of the airplane without further incident.
She noticed that the recreational boat that was originally on the right side of the waterway was now on the left side and the boat driver stated that the airplane hit the boat.
Since the pilot was seated in the left seat, her view to the lower right area of the airplane would have been restricted by the airframe.
The pilot added that three other airplanes had just landed on the waterway and there was one more in position to land behind her.
Probable Cause: A recreational boat crossed in front of the airplane’s path during landing on the water, which resulted in the airplane colliding with the boat.
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This November 2023 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
In addition to the other comment about veering to the left, why is there impact damage to the inside of the left pontoon, and an obvious indent above the exhaust? Looks to me like a t-bone, boat to plane, not the other way around. Maybe the boat decided to hot foot it to the left, thinking the plane would be slower and he could make it.
Anybody checked for adult beverages?
It seems incredible to me that the cowl was hit, with no apparent prop strike!
“She added power to keep the airplane on the step” tells me that she was down and motoring on the water. Her right wing has a green light indicating the boat crossing from the right had the right of way. See and avoid as well as follow the right of way rules whether in the air or on the water apply here. I don’t think we have the full story. You don’t veer left while damaging the outer quarter of the right wing unless your wing becomes entangled in the boat as it crosses to the left. The left seat should always be able to see the right 1/4 of the wing.
Boat clips front of left float, which pivots airplane to the left. This is basically an induced water loop, now the right wing whacks down on the water, and the airplane goes up on its nose. In this case, the boat may have been what kicked off the incident with contact, but it was the water that did the damage. The boat operator likely did not expect the airplane to keep moving as fast as it did, whether the operator made an assumption about how fast airplanes go or how fast they can stop.
Stupid boat tricks are one of the items that are pretty high up on my list of seaplane operational risks.
It should also be noted that the operator of this aircraft is one of the most highly regarded seaplane training operations in the country. The pilot grew up in this operation, in this area, and had a good amount of experience in this type of flying.
Not mentioned is the fact that she would most likely have held the nose high for a choppy water landing, further restricting her vision. She never saw the boat crossing in front. But I’m a bit puzzled as to why the plane veered left and nosed over if she struck it with the right wing. Also she should have felt and heard a bang from the collision, and there is no mention of this. From that amount of damage, how could she not know she struck something? As usual, details seem missing.