This is very odd.... and I'm not pilot blaming here.
CAVOK day - tailwind, he enters Jerusalem Bay then makes an 80 degree angle of bank turn and impacts.
Was he flying towards and surrounded by terrain, lacked the climb power due to load to climb over it - tried to make a steep turn to reverse direction and overcooked it?
He's experienced and knows the area well - so don't think so...?
That land around Cottage point etc can't be more than a coupla hundred feet high - and surely even a fully loaded Beaver would have the climb performance to clear that terrain.
Part of statement from Sydney Seaplanes:
Aaron Shaw, CEO of Sydney Seaplanes, said:
“Since the accident, we have done everything possible to assist the ATSB, the NSW Police and CASA to understand how this tragic event occurred.
“Whilst the precise cause of the accident remains unknown, the preliminary report reflects the excellent flying conditions on the day and suggests no evidence of airframe, fuel or engine issues. The Report confirms that the aircraft undertook a periodic inspection as recently as the 6th of November 2017 and was certified fully fit to fly.
“Our maintenance program is conducted to the highest standard possible, going above and beyond both manufacturer and regulatory requirements, to the extent that our Beavers undergo a complete strip, repaint and rebuild every three years.
“The Report also highlights that Gareth Morgan was a highly skilled, experienced and trained pilot who was flying to a location he had flown to hundreds of times before.
“The key question arising from the Report is why the plane crashed approximately half way down Jerusalem Bay, which is surrounded by steep terrain and has no exit. It is not a route we authorise in our Landing & Take Off Area Register and the plane simply should not have been where it was.
“Further, the aircraft is then reported to have entered in to an 80-90 degree bank angle turn. A turn of this nature at low altitude by a pilot with Gareth's skills, experience and intimate knowledge of the location is totally inexplicable.
“We hope the ATSB’s request for further eye witness accounts will shed additional light on these matters,” said Mr Shaw.