What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 9, 2023, at 1215 pacific daylight time, an amphibious Aviat A-1C-180 (husky), privacy data omitted, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Lakewood, Washington. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a title 14 code of federal regulations part 91 personal flight.
The pilot reported the accident occurred on what would have been the third water landing of the day. On approach the gear selector lever was in the up position with the corresponding 4 blue lights displayed on the gear advisory system. About 2-3 ft above the water, the gear advisory system gave an aural “check gear” alert indicating a landing gear mismatch with the terrain. The pilot was unable to visually confirm the left landing gear was fully retracted and elected to conduct a go-around. The airplane impacted trees on the climbout and subsequently impacted terrain. A postimpact fire ensued.
The wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for examination.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 9, 2023, AT 1215 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AMPHIBIOUS AVIAT A-1C-180 (HUSKY), ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR LAKEWOOD, WASHINGTON. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.
THE PILOT REPORTED THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE THIRD WATER LANDING OF THE DAY. ON APPROACH THE GEAR SELECTOR LEVER WAS IN THE UP POSITION WITH THE CORRESPONDING 4 BLUE LIGHTS DISPLAYED ON THE GEAR ADVISORY SYSTEM. ABOUT 2-3 FT ABOVE THE WATER, THE GEAR ADVISORY SYSTEM GAVE AN AURAL “CHECK GEAR” ALERT INDICATING A LANDING GEAR MISMATCH WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO VISUALLY CONFIRM THE LEFT LANDING GEAR WAS FULLY RETRACTED AND ELECTED TO CONDUCT A GO-AROUND. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES ON THE CLIMBOUT AND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED TERRAIN. A POSTIMPACT FIRE ENSUED.
THE WRECKAGE WAS RECOVERED TO A SECURE FACILITY FOR EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.