The pilot of a floatplane that crashed on a water landing at Whitehaven Beach in Queensland was unaware one main gear leg was still extended, according to an ATSB report published this week.
DHC-2 Beaver VH-OHU had taken off from Hamilton Island Airport in October last year on a scenic flight carrying the pilot and four passengers on board. Intending to land in the water alongside Whitehaven Beach, the pilot configured the aircraft for a water landing, but wasn't aware the right main landing gear had seized in the extended position and not retracted into the float.
When the aircraft contacted the water, it bounced and yawed to the right, before nosing over and sinking inverted. The pilot was able to exit the Beaver, but dove back down when they realised the passengers were still inside. Unable to open the left rear door, the pilot forced open right rear door and all passengers were evacuated. All sustained minor injuries, but the aircraft was substantially damaged.
ATSB investigators found that the right main gear had seized likely through corrosion, but noted that the pilot had failed to confirm the landing gear was not extended, either through a mirror installed underneath the left wing or via the Amphibian Gear Advisory System (AGAS). The report noted that the AGAS annunciation for "check gear" and a normal water landing were very similar to each other.
The pilot reported seeing four blue "gear up" lights during their pre-landing checks. The pilot advised they were able to clearly identify which lights were illuminated; however, when tested post‑accident, one blue light did not illuminate, although it could not be determined if this failure was due to seawater immersion or was a pre-existing fault.
The final report also notes the pilot credited their employer‑mandated helicopter underwater escape training (HUET), completed about one month before the accident, as a life‑saving course.
“In-rushing water, disorientation, entanglement, unfamiliarity with seatbelt release mechanisms and an inability to reach or open exits are all known challenges for occupants attempting to escape from a submerged aircraft,” said ATSB Director of Transport Safety Kerri Hughes.
“As such, HUET has the potential to be lifesaving, not just for helicopter pilots but for all pilots operating any type of aircraft over water.”
CASA told the ATSB it would be released an Airworthiness Bulletin advising operators that during maintenance particular attention should be paid to the landing gear on amphibians to detect corrosion.
The ATSB also noted that a push-out window modification was available for the DHC-2 Beaver to enable faster evacuation from the rear, but it was not installed on VH-OHU at the time of the crash.
The full investigation report is on the ATSB website.