N526MA – Aviat A1 – 2020-07-02 NTSB Accident Report

On July 02, 2020, a Aviat A1 (N526MA) was involved in an incident near Plattsburgh, NY. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's loss of control of the airplane during a water landing after striking a boat wake, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage.

According to the pilot, he overflew the area of intended landing to check for water depth, wind direction, and verify that it was a suitable landing area. While on final approach to the water, a boat crossed underneath the airplane. As the airplane landed on the water, it struck the boat wake, which resulted in the airplane "skip[ping]" over the water. When the airplane impacted the water again, the front float struts collapsed resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.

This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA20CA241. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N526MA.