Probable cause
The pilot's failure to properly configure the amphibious airplane for a water landing, which resulted in it flipping over.
NTSB analysis
According to the pilot, he took off from a river behind his home and proceeded to a local airport where he lowered the landing gear and performed three touch-and-go landings. The pilot said he was preoccupied during the return flight to the river for a water landing and "forgot" to retract the landing gear for the pontoon-hull landing. At touchdown, the airplane immediately flipped over and came to rest inverted. The fuselage forward of the landing gear sustained substantial damage.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA20CA081 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jan 14, 2020
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- East Palatka, Florida
- Highest injury
- Minor
- Minor injuries
- 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Amateur-built AVENTURA
- N-number
- N366RC
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 2005
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.