ON JULY 24, 2011, AT APPROXIMATELY 9:00 A.M., THE OPERATOR AND TWO PASSENGERS LAUNCHED THE BOAT ON THE NORTH PLATTE RIVER FROM THE GRAY REEF ACCESS, IMMEDIATELY DOWNSTREAM OF THE GRAY REEF DAM.  THE GROUP HAD PLANNED TO FISH DOWN TO THE GOVERNMENT BRIDGE ACCESS, APPROXIMATELY 12.5 RIVER MILES DOWNSTREAM, WHERE THEY WOULD TAKE OUT.  AT APPROXIMATELY 3:30 P.M., AS THEY APPROACHED THE BRIDGE, THE OPERATOR POSITIONED THE BOAT PERPENDICULAR TO THE FLOW OF THE RIVER IN AN ATTEMPT TO ROW IT TO THE SLACK WATER BETWEEN THE SHORE AND THE OUTERMOST (EASTERN) BRIDGE PYLONS.  AS THEY NEARED THE BRIDGE, THE TURBULENT WATER REDIRECTED THE BOAT AWAY FROM THE SHORE AND SWEPT IT INTO THE UPSTREAM PYLON ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BRIDGE.  THE BOAT STRUCK THE PYLON IN THE PORT SIDE OF THE BOW (FRONT LEFT QUADRANT), AND CAPSIZED THE BOAT TOSSING ALL THREE OCCUPANTS.  PFDS AND THE TYPE IV THROWABLE DEVICE WHERE OUT OF THERE COMPARTMENTS DURING THE ENTIRE TRIP, HOWEVER, NONE OF THE OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING OR ABLE TO GRAB THEM IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO OR FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT.  AFTER THE BOAT ROLLED, THE OPERATOR WAS TEMPORARILY TRAPPED UNDERNEATH WHILE BOTH PASSENGERS WERE EJECTED FREE AND CLEAR.  THE OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO SWIM TO SHORE AFTER CLEARING THE BOAT AND MADE CONTACT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.  THE PASSENGERS WERE HELPED ASHORE MORE THAN 1/4 MILE DOWNSTREAM BY OTHER FISHERMEN APPROXIMATELY 3-5 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND TAKEN TO SHORE.
ALCOVA                        