VESSEL 1, AN AIRBOAT, WAS TRAVELING DOWN AN OILFIELD CANAL WITH 4 PERSONS ON BOARD ABOVE IDLE SPEED.  THE OPERATOR OF VESSEL 1 TURNED THE VESSEL TO STARBOARD 180 DEGREES IN ORDER TO SPOT A NEARBY ALLIGATOR.  IN DOING SO, THE VESSEL LISTED TO STARBOARD, WHERE THE HEAVIEST OF THE PASSENGERS WAS SEATED.  THE OPERATOR REDUCED THROTTLE AND VESSEL 1 CAME TO REST AND BEGAN TO TAKE ON WATER OVER THE STARBOARD GUNWALE AND TRANSOM.  THE VESSEL FILLED WITH WATER AND ROLLED TO STARBOARD, SINKING INTO THE WATER ON ITS SIDE.  THE OPERATOR AND ALL 3 PASSENGERS ENTERED THE WATER AND THEN HELD ON TO THE GUNWALE, WHERE THEY AWAITED RESCUE VIA THE USCG HELICOPTER.  THERE WERE ADEQUATE PFD'S ON BOARD THE VESSEL, HOWEVER THEY WERE NOT WORN AND WERE NOT ABLE TO BE REACHED ONCE VESSEL 1 SANK.  THE OPERATOR HAD THE KILL SWITCH ATTACHED TO HIS PERSON, WHICH STOPPED THE ENGINE AS HE WAS EJECTED FROM THE VESSEL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND ALCOHOL WAS NOT A FACTOR.
LAFITTE                       