LAKESIDE, MT, USA
N1299L
LAKE LA-4-200
THE PLT AND HIS PAX DEPARTED BZN AT 1500 MDT AND FLEW TO HUGHES BAY ON FLATHEAD LAKE, NEAR LAKESIDE, MT, ARRIVING AT APRX 1700. THE PLT SAID HE NOTICED A DIMINISHING WAVE PATTERN FROM THE SOUTHWEST AND A STRONG GUST SURFACE PATTERN FROM THE EAST. THERE WERE NO WHITECAPS BUT THE WATER WAS ROUGHER TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE. HE ESTIMATED THE WINDS WERE FROM THE EAST AT 5 KTS. THE PLT DRAGGED THE INTENDED LANDING AREA AND DECIDED IT WAS SAFE TO LAND. PLT MADE STEP-LANDING. ACFT GRAZED FIRST WAVE AT 65 MPH, BOUNCED OFF SECOND WAVE, AND SETTLED ON THIRD WAVE. IT THEN SPUN 90 DEG TO THE RIGHT. THE PLT LATER DISCOVERED THE LEFT FLOAT COLLAPSED, THE RIGHT FLOAT CRUSHED, AND OTHER SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AFT FUSELAGE. THE PLT SUSPECTS HE STRUCK FLOATING DEBRIS IN THE LAKE. THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK RECOMMENDS A FULL STALL LANDING IN HIGH WIND/WAVE CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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