CHI05CA169

While attempting a water landing, the amphibian airplane impacted the water in a nose-low attitude and nosed over into the water after a second impact with the water. The pilot reported that the airplane impacted the wake of a speedboat that had crossed beneath the airplane during final approach. The passenger reported that the pilot told him that he "stalled the airplane" during landing. The passenger's daughter recorded the accident on videotape. A review of the videotape showed the airplane making a low altitude, level turn toward video camera. The recorded engine noise was consistent with an idle engine power setting. The airplane transitioned to a nose-down attitude and impacted the water. The recorded engine noise increased after the airplane transitioned to the nose low attitude. The airplane bounced off the water and nosed over after a second impact with the water. There was no evidence of a speedboat or rough water around the accident airplane during the accident sequence.

On July 2, 2005, at 1500 central daylight time (cdt), an amateur-built Kelley Volmer Amphibian B, N47111, piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage during a hard landing on the Mississippi River near Nauvoo, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. The local area flight departed Nauvoo, Illinois, at 1445 cdt.

The pilot reported that on final approach he was "surprised" by a multiengine speedboat crossing beneath the airplane from the airplane's right to left. The pilot stated that upon landing the airplane "struck [the speedboat's] large wake crossways." The pilot reported that the airplane's nose was damaged during the impact and on the second touchdown the airplane nosed over into the water.

The passenger was interviewed by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector after the accident. According to the passenger, the pilot told him that he "stalled the airplane" during landing.

The passenger's daughter recorded the accident on videotape. A copy of this videotape was supplied to the National Transportation Safety Board. The following factual observations were made from the video: The video camera was situated on the riverbank. The airplane made a low altitude, level turn toward the video camera. The recorded engine noise was consistent with an idle engine power setting. The airplane transitioned to a nose-down attitude and impacted the water. The recorded engine noise increased after the airplane transitioned to the nose low attitude. The airplane bounced off the water and nosed over after a second impact with the water. There was no evidence of a speedboat or rough water around the accident airplane during the accident sequence.