What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) R/e prop started to malfunction. Pilot elected to land in the harbor instead of attempting to land at Bellingham airport. The water was shallower than expected and the a/c settled in the mud. As the a/c slowed down the right wing settled causing the r/h wing float to dig into the mud. This forced the float aft and up into the trailing edge of the wing. Damage consisted of the aileron, and wing ribs. When the a/c is out of the water, an inspection can be completed to determine whey there was a prop problem. It appears that the r/h prop lost oil pressure to it.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) R/E PROP STARTED TO MALFUNCTION. PILOT ELECTED TO LAND IN THE HARBOR INSTEAD OF ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT BELLINGHAM AIRPORT. THE WATER WAS SHALLOWER THAN EXPECTED AND THE A/C SETTLED IN THE MUD. AS THE A/C SLOWED DOWN THE RIGHT WING SETTLED CAUSING THE R/H WING FLOAT TO DIG INTO THE MUD. THIS FORCED THE FLOAT AFT AND UP INTO THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE WING. DAMAGE CONSISTED OF THE AILERON, AND WING RIBS. WHEN THE A/C IS OUT OF THE WATER, AN INSPECTION CAN BE COMPLETED TO DETERMINE WHEY THERE WAS A PROP PROBLEM. IT APPEARS THAT THE R/H PROP LOST OIL PRESSURE TO IT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.