What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot of privacy data omitted departed khii airport 12/28/2023 after disconnecting two circuit breakers for the left and right main landing gear while the aircraft's landing gear was in the "down" position. The pilot claimed to have been trained in this manner by an experienced instructor, who confirmed the training. The pilot then proceeded to fly and later attempt a water landing on the Colorado river in this configuration. The pilot stated that he did not close or connect the disconnected circuit breakers and bring the landing gear up prior to the attempted water landing, though the landing gear position switch may have been in the "up" position. The manufacturer's flight manual states: "pilots should make absolutely certain that the undercarriage is in the 'up' and locked position at all times, when carrying out water landings. Serious aircraft damage and personal injury may result if this is not observed." The attempted water landing resulted in the aircraft being substantially damaged and sinking, yet the pilot escaped uninjured. There were no other known aircraft occupants, nor was any damage reported beyond that sustained by the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED KHII AIRPORT 12/28/2023 AFTER DISCONNECTING TWO CIRCUIT BREAKERS FOR THE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHILE THE AIRCRAFT'S LANDING GEAR WAS IN THE "DOWN" POSITION. THE PILOT CLAIMED TO HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN THIS MANNER BY AN EXPERIENCED INSTRUCTOR, WHO CONFIRMED THE TRAINING. THE PILOT THEN PROCEEDED TO FLY AND LATER ATTEMPT A WATER LANDING ON THE COLORADO RIVER IN THIS CONFIGURATION. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT CLOSE OR CONNECT THE DISCONNECTED CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND BRING THE LANDING GEAR UP PRIOR TO THE ATTEMPTED WATER LANDING, THOUGH THE LANDING GEAR POSITION SWITCH MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE "UP" POSITION. THE MANUFACTURER'S FLIGHT MANUAL STATES: "PILOTS SHOULD MAKE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE IS IN THE 'UP' AND LOCKED POSITION AT ALL TIMES, WHEN CARRYING OUT WATER LANDINGS. SERIOUS AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AND PERSONAL INJURY MAY RESULT IF THIS IS NOT OBSERVED." THE ATTEMPTED WATER LANDING RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT BEING SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND SINKING, YET THE PILOT ESCAPED UNINJURED. THERE WERE NO OTHER KNOWN AIRCRAFT OCCUPANTS, NOR WAS ANY DAMAGE REPORTED BEYOND THAT SUSTAINED BY THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.