What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft departed Fernandina beach airport at approximately 14:30 on a whale observation flight. Aircraft reported spotting a group of three whales and descended to an altitude of 700 feet for detailed observation and picture taking. While circling the whales the aircraft descended into the water for unknown reasons. The pilot and all three passengers received fatal injuries. There was no report of any problems prior to the accident. The aircraft fuel tanks were topped off prior to departure. Inspection of the wreckage indicates that the aircraft impacted the water in a near vertical position. The wings and upper section of the cabin were torn from the aircraft but remained attached by the control cables. The tail was separated from the aircraft and intact with little damage except for the area where the tail booms were torn. The tail appears to have been torn off by a twisting motion breaking aft forward end of the right boom and the aft end of the left boom. The tail was still attached to the wreckage by the right rudder cable and the elevator trim cables. The blades of the forward prop were bent straight back. The rear prop had no damage. There was not evidence of engine failure.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FERNANDINA BEACH AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 14:30 ON A WHALE OBSERVATION FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT REPORTED SPOTTING A GROUP OF THREE WHALES AND DESCENDED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 700 FEET FOR DETAILED OBSERVATION AND PICTURE TAKING. WHILE CIRCLING THE WHALES THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO THE WATER FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. THE PILOT AND ALL THREE PASSENGERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THERE WAS NO REPORT OF ANY PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT FUEL TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE INDICATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER IN A NEAR VERTICAL POSITION. THE WINGS AND UPPER SECTION OF THE CABIN WERE TORN FROM THE AIRCRAFT BUT REMAINED ATTACHED BY THE CONTROL CABLES. THE TAIL WAS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND INTACT WITH LITTLE DAMAGE EXCEPT FOR THE AREA WHERE THE TAIL BOOMS WERE TORN. THE TAIL APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN TORN OFF BY A TWISTING MOTION BREAKING AFT FORWARD END OF THE RIGHT BOOM AND THE AFT END OF THE LEFT BOOM. THE TAIL WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE WRECKAGE BY THE RIGHT RUDDER CABLE AND THE ELEVATOR TRIM CABLES. THE BLADES OF THE FORWARD PROP WERE BENT STRAIGHT BACK. THE REAR PROP HAD NO DAMAGE. THERE WAS NOT EVIDENCE OF ENGINE FAILURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.