CHI05LA228

The airplane experienced a hard landing breaking both floats. The uncertificated pilot attempted an aborted landing, and the airplane's left wing dropped and contacted water. The fracture of the forward float attachment point did not exhibit features consistent with a preexisting crack.

On August 10, 2005, at 1148 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Kitfox IV, owned and piloted by an uncertificated pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with Little Grand Lake, Minnesota, during a hard landing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot and passenger were uninjured. The flight originated from Little Grand Lake at 1030.

According to the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office Police Report, the airplane experienced a hard landing and one of the floats broke off. The pilot attempted an aborted landing, and the airplane's left wing dropped and contacted water.

The pilot stated that when he first touched down he heard a loud 'snap' or 'bang'. When he "settled down" a second time, he did not know what happened.

The pilot stated that the left front airframe attachment point broke allowing the left float to go under the left wing, and the rear of the left float went under the fuselage, pivoting on the still attached left rear strut. The front of the right float went under the engine compartment where the propeller hit the front of the right float.

A photo of the front attachment point taken by the pilot displays bending along the fracture surface and discoloration consistent with recent oxidation.