Accident Cessna 206 N4944U, Wednesday 27 March 1985

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Date:	Wednesday 27 March 1985
Time:	17:00 LT
Type:	Cessna 206
Owner/operator:	Key West Seaplane Service
Registration:	N4944U
MSN:	420605172
Total airframe hrs:	26791 hours
Engine model:	Continental IO-520-L
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Key West, FL - United States of America
Phase:	Taxi
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	DRY TORTUGAS
Destination airport:	Key West, FL (KEYW)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
AFTER THE ACFT DEPARTED THE SEAPLANE PARKING AREA, THE PLT NOTICED THAT THE LEFT FLOAT WAS TAKING ON WATER. HE INITIATED A TURN BACK TOWARDS THE RAMP AREA & APPLIED FULL POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH SHALLOWER WATER. AS HE APCHD THE PARKING AREA & WAS TURNING THE ACFT OUT OF THE WIND, A COMBINATION OF WIND, WAVE ACTION & FORWARD MOTION CAUSED THE LEFT FLOAT TO DIG IN. THE ACFT THEN NOSED OVER IN ABOUT 4 FT OF WATER. A POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE LEFT FLOAT REVEALED A 1-1/2 INCH TRANSVERSE SPLIT JUST FORWARD OF THE BULKHEAD IN THE LARGEST COMPARTMENT OF THE FLOAT WHICH ALLOWED IT TO TAKE ON WATER.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: