What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Arrived on scene approx. 1930 local. Located deputy who was securing scene. Observed aircraft in the river floats up with amphibious wheels extended. Aircraft remained in the river until Thursday 6/27. When aircraft was recovered, damage to front of aircraft and wing leading edges was consistent with aircraft doing a water landing with wheels extended and flipping inverted immediately. Wing support struts sheared at fuselage attach points and obstructed cabin door opening. Upon gaining access to the cockpit. Verified landing gear selector position was in the down position. Magneto selector was in the left position only not both. Fuel selector was selected to the left tank. Teardown results indicated both magnetos were functional. Both exhaust mufflers had internal damage to the baffle tube. Left hand baffle tube was broken and moving freely inside the muffler. Right hand baffle tube was broken and blocking the exhaust exit.
As the FAA filed it
ARRIVED ON SCENE APPROX. 1930 LOCAL. LOCATED DEPUTY WHO WAS SECURING SCENE. OBSERVED AIRCRAFT IN THE RIVER FLOATS UP WITH AMPHIBIOUS WHEELS EXTENDED. AIRCRAFT REMAINED IN THE RIVER UNTIL THURSDAY 6/27. WHEN AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED, DAMAGE TO FRONT OF AIRCRAFT AND WING LEADING EDGES WAS CONSISTENT WITH AIRCRAFT DOING A WATER LANDING WITH WHEELS EXTENDED AND FLIPPING INVERTED IMMEDIATELY. WING SUPPORT STRUTS SHEARED AT FUSELAGE ATTACH POINTS AND OBSTRUCTED CABIN DOOR OPENING. UPON GAINING ACCESS TO THE COCKPIT. VERIFIED LANDING GEAR SELECTOR POSITION WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION. MAGNETO SELECTOR WAS IN THE LEFT POSITION ONLY NOT BOTH. FUEL SELECTOR WAS SELECTED TO THE LEFT TANK. TEARDOWN RESULTS INDICATED BOTH MAGNETOS WERE FUNCTIONAL. BOTH EXHAUST MUFFLERS HAD INTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE BAFFLE TUBE. LEFT HAND BAFFLE TUBE WAS BROKEN AND MOVING FREELY INSIDE THE MUFFLER. RIGHT HAND BAFFLE TUBE WAS BROKEN AND BLOCKING THE EXHAUST EXIT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.